Project name: ForBioEnergy − Forest Bioenergy in the Protected Mediterranean Areas
Client: Zadar County
Period: 07/2017 – 04/2019
Funding: EU, Interreg V – B Mediterranean (MED) Cooperation Programme 2014 – 2020
Location: Croatia
The overall objective of the project is to encourage bioenergy production in protected areas, offering cross-border solutions to overcoming obstacles hindering the development of the sector and providing planning models to exploit the full potential of biomass and at the same time protect the biodiversity of the natural area. The most important expected result is the increase in forest biomass in protected areas, as well as the increase in energy production from renewable energy sources.
The project leader is Sicily Region. Other partners from Italy are EnviLand and the Municipality of Petralia Sottana, Spain: AMUFOR and the Chamber of Commerce of Valencia, Slovenia: Slovenian Forestry Institute, Regional Development Agency of Zeleni kras and Croatia: Zadar County and Velebit Nature Park with its associated partners Natura Jader and Advisory Services for Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Forestry. Pilot areas in Croatia are Velebit Nature Park, Vransko Lake and Telašćica.
Oikon was in charge of drafting project documentation as part of work package 3 on behalf of Zadar County for the areas of Velebit, Vrana Lake and Telašćica Nature Parks.
As part of the project, in 2019, the Oikon project team, in addition to geographical identification and description of biomass areas in protected areas of Velebit Nature Park and Telašćica Nature Park and Vrana Lake, also assessed the impact of increasing biomass use in short, medium and long term in protected areas. Within this activity, NATURA 2000 areas within the pilot area were described, and threats to biotic (animal communities, habitats) and abiotic (social, economic) components and ecosystem services related to biomass extraction and exploitation were identified.
Forest management with a focus on biomass and ecology of forest types in the area of protected parts of nature was analyzed and the Study of wood biomass assessment for the area of PP Telašćica and PP Vrana Lake was prepared based on surveying the area of Nature Park Telašćica and Vrana Lake in RGB and NIR channels and spatial statistical modeling (Estimation of wood mass/biomass in the area of nature parks Telašćica and Vrana Lake based on data collected by the unmanned aerial vehicle). Biological forest restoration works for each individual forest type based on its ecology are proposed, as well as their impact on conservation objectives and the integrity of the ecological network. Basic guidelines for the management of game and other animal species have also been developed.
List of activities provided:
- Analysis of administrative and technical barriers to biomass production
- Planning of biomass-based energy production
- Threats and benefits of increasing biomass usage
- Forest management with a focus on biomass
- Regulatory framework and obtaining permits regarding the use of biomass
- Planning a Sustainable Forest-Wood-Energy Supply Chain
- Biomass quality requirements that must be met.
Distribution of wood stock in NP Vrana Lake according to forest types 
Types of forest vegetation at NP Telašćica 
A part of the area of NP Telašćica
