The Public Institution Lokrum Reserve marks the 70th anniversary of the Lokrum Island Nature Reserve
The Public Institution Lokrum Reserve marks the 70th anniversary of the Lokrum Island Nature Reserve
The Public Institution Lokrum Reserve, in cooperation with the University of Dubrovnik and the Croatian Arboricultural Society, organized a two-day scientific and professional conference titled ‘The Island of Lokrum: From Scientific Discoveries to Protected Area Management’ with international participation. The conference was held under the auspices of the City of Dubrovnik, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy. The University of Dubrovnik provided the venue, gathering a large number of prominent national and international scientists and professionals who presented their work through conference proceedings, lectures and presentations.
The conference proceedings include 31 abstracts presented by 67 authors from around 30 Croatian and international scientific, professional and higher education institutions and civil society organizations. The conference proceedings, in addition to invited lectures, include submissions focusing on themes relating to vegetation and fauna, the littoral and the underwater, cultivated garden heritage, natural history and protected area management.
Seven invited lectures by prominent experts covered the themes: butterfly diversity on Lokrum, scientific description of new plant communities in Croatia, fauna in the Dubrovnik area with the accent on Lokrum, assessment of the invasive risk of bark beetles, marine litter and Lokrum gardens. Scientists from Britain’s The Vincent Wildlife Trust gave a special review of the protection of the bat fauna on the island and presented a plan for their conservation during cultural heritage site restoration.
There were 24 posters presented on 5 main topics: vegetation and fauna, the littoral and the underwater, garden and horticultural heritage, natural history and the Lokrum Reserve management.
In addition to numerous lecturers, attendees included representatives of special landscape areas from all parts of Croatia and of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy, the City of Dubrovnik and the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
During the conference participants exchanged experiences gathered in the past four years of research and professional work on Lokrum, all aimed at ensuring that the protected Lokrum Island Reserve and other special and protected landscape areas are managed effectively and efficiently.
After the lectures were delivered a discussion followed on the themes and guidelines for further research and protection measures to be implemented in this and other similar protected areas were given.
The conference about the Island of Lokrum was followed by a professional meeting titled ‘Arboriculture – Challenges of the New Study Field in Croatia’. The meeting was organized through joint cooperation of the Croatian Arboricultural Society, the Public Institution Lokrum Reserve and the University of Dubrovnik. On the second day of the events a field presentation of cork oak pruning was organized at Gruško Field, soil decompaction around tree roots and fertilizing in cooperation with Drezga d.o.o., Arbofield d.o.o. and Herbafarm Magnolija d.o.o. Afterwards participants were given an expert-guided tour of the Island of Lokrum.
This anniversary and its celebration, with scientists and professionals who contributed greatly by investing their time and knowledge to present new findings about the Island of Lokrum and globally significant issues, have shown that these kinds of gatherings should take place more often. The value of experience and knowledge exchange is priceless, as this is often how fresh ideas and new partnerships are created. All this also inspires us to envision future conferences and meetings marking other important dates in the history of Lokrum.
