20 years of Biom Association

Biom Association is one of Croatia’s leading nature conservation organisations. Since its establishment in 2006, the organisation has been at the forefront of bird and biodiversity protection in the country through science, advocacy, education, and fieldwork.

Here’s a glance at some of their biggest achievements over the years:

• By contributing with expert scientific data and field research, Biom has played a leading role in establishing Croatia’s Natura 2000 network – Europe’s network of protected areas. But Biom’s work doesn’t stop on land. Out at sea, years of seabird tracking and marine research helped identify the first marine Special Protection Areas in Croatia. These areas were later officially designated and protected by the Croatian government, helping safeguard some of the region’s most valuable marine ecosystems for future generations.
• One of Biom’s key priorities is combating the illegal killing of birds. One of their wins is that poaching in northern Croatia has significantly decreased. Today, the use of illegal quail lures and electronic calling devices to attract birds has nearly stopped in that region.
• Biom is not just conserving nature; it is also bringing it back! The organisation is part of many projects to restore grasslands and wetlands. Currently, they are leading on Croatia’s largest nature restoration initiative to date, Mosaic of LIFE. The project aims to restore at least 560 hectares of grasslands and improve management across an additional 1,020 hectares in the Krka, Cetina, Svilaja, and Dinara mountain regions.
• The organisation helps people see wildlife as an important part of everyday city life and is especially known for promoting peaceful coexistence with crows in urban areas.

But most importantly, Biom inspires people every day to care for and protect nature through countless educational activities, volunteer programs, and citizen science initiatives. They are training the next generation of ornithologists through their bird identification programme, in which already more than 500 people have taken part. Every year, Biom organises an ornithological camp in Učka Nature Park, dedicated to studying bird migration and bringing this natural wonder closer to people.

It’s safe to say that Croatia’s nature wouldn’t be the same without Biom. Here’s to many more years of science and advocacy work in Croatia for birds, people, and society at large!

Pictures by Biom Association