ABOUT PROJECT
The project emphasizes the importance of protecting this area and preserving its biological and landscape diversity, as well as promoting it more intensively and raising public awareness about the natural wealth represented by the Đurđevac Sands
This area plays an important role in the local economy, primarily through tourism, as it holds great potential for creating an innovative and unique tourist product that can be easily connected with other natural and cultural assets of the region, while also being rooted in its historical heritage.
The backbone of the project is the investment in the sustainable use of the Đurđevac Sands Special Geographical and Botanical Reserve, with the goal of contributing to the sustainable socio-economic development of the City of Đurđevac and the entire Koprivnica-Križevci County. With the same goal, the project also includes areas beyond the protected reserve itself – the Visitor Center in the city of Đurđevac and the Borik Forest, located nearby – whose activities contribute to the interpretation and preservation of the Đurđevac Sands.
The project improves and develops the necessary facilities and infrastructure for the growth of various types and specific forms of tourism – family, cycling, school, excursion, rural, cultural, green, event, health and similar – in a sustainable manner, thus contributing to the sustainable socio-economic development at both local and regional levels.
The Visitor Center, in addition to housing a hospitality area, souvenir shop, and the office of the Đurđevac Tourist Board, features a rich multimedia exhibition and interpretive space of high technological advancement, while the Borik Outdoor School provides accommodation and educational programs, primarily for school groups.
Among other visitor amenities, there are electric bicycles as well as bike stops and charging stations, which form an important part of Đurđevac’s tourist offer as they connect all three key locations, facilitate access, and encourage visitors to explore the entire area. Informative and educational panels have also been installed at all three locations to educate and inform visitors. Strong emphasis is placed on education and interpretation, especially of the local population, as well as on the promotion and visibility of the project.
In this way, the project significantly contributes to the educational capacity and tourist appeal of the Đurđevac area, enables the sustainable use of natural heritage, and fosters sustainable socio-economic development at both the local and regional levels.
The Special Geographical and Botanical Reserve “Đurđevački pijesci” is restoring and extending its educational themed trail and enriching it with additional visitor amenities, such as an insect hotel, bicycle stands, and demonstration plots. All three project implementation sites emphasize the importance of conserving the biodiversity and geodiversity of this protected area and interpret its natural assets, thereby significantly contributing to the educational capacity and tourist appeal of the Đurđevac area, ensuring the sustainable use of natural heritage, and supporting sustainable socio‑economic development at the local and regional levels.
KK.06.1.2.02.0048
Sustainable management and increasing the attractiveness of Đurđevac sands
User: City of Đurđevac
Partners:
▪ Public institution for management of protected parts of nature in the area of KCKKŽ
▪ Podravina Local Action Group
▪ Đurđevac Tourist Board
Total project value: 17.319.657,97 kn
EU co-financing: 13.678.947,32 kn
Project implementation period:
1.9.2015. – 1.11.2020.