On November 10, 2023, within the framework of the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme, an educational trail was officially opened in the mine-cleared area of Kotar forest in Petrinja.
Ms Zrinka Raguž, State Secretary at the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, H.E. Urs Hammer, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to the Republic of Croatia, Ms Magdalena Komes, Mayor of Petrinja and Member of the Croatian Parliament, Mr Mario Klobučar, Director of Sector for Green Energy and management of EU funded projects at Croatian Forests Ltd. and Ms Anita Sinjeri Ibrišević, Head of the Administrative Department for Agriculture, Rural Development, Environmental and Nature Protection, Sisak-Moslavina County addressed the gathered.
In addition to the above, the event was also attended by representatives of the Croatian Mine Action Centre at the Civil Protection Directorate, representatives of Embassy of Switzerland in Croatia, other representatives of the Sisak-Moslavina County, Croatian Forests Ltd., MRDEUF representatives and children and teachers from the Primary School Braća Ribar Sisak and regional school Žabno.
As part of the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme, the project Demining and Socio-economic Integration with a total of 6 million CHF is being implemented. So far, 3.26 km2 of mine suspected areas of Kotar forest in Sisak-Moslavina County have been demined as part of the Project.
With the aim of additional promotion and raising the visibility of the results of the Demining and Socio-economic Integration project, EUR 17.76 thousand was spent from the Technical Assistance Fund of the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme for the arrangement of a part of the educational trail and drinking water sources in the demined part of the Kotar forest.
A part of the educational trail is included in educational workshops conducted by representatives of Croatian Forests, and are intended to educate children about the importance of forest preservation and getting acquainted with the forestry profession, i.e. strengthening cooperation with the local community, for the purpose of joint cooperation in the preservation and protection of nature and the environment.