Development Vision of Protected Areas in the Republic of Croatia: National Park "Krka" as a Trend Leader

This chapter provides an overview of the current state of the park system of R. Croatia. The effectiveness of management, recent achievements and difficulties in the functioning of national parks and parks of the Republic of Croatia are analysed, especially in the light of fulfilling ecological functions, contribution to sustainable development and strengthening local community economies. Attention is drawn to the lack of a comprehensive strategy of national park system, shortcoming of a unique park policy that is necessary for social valuation of a protected areas' role, their stable financing, professionalisation of park functions, professionalisation of workplaces and positioning in relation to other sectors. Through the development vision of the national park system, prospects of improving management are stated, conditions of increasing the efficiency of management are detected and the models of achieving greater financial sustainability are suggested. In the second part, NP Krka is shown as the leader of the trends through protection and management of its area for more than two decades. The practiced approach has positioned them in the very top of the Croatia park system according to the results of the management and quality of the solution. The key features of the NP Krka management concept are highlighted, due to the achieved financial autonomy and the high level of sustainability of NP Krka management. An important upcoming challenge in managing the NP Krka is the need to effectively preserve the biodiversity and ecosystem services of the protected area through the establishment of a higher level of adaptability and flexibility of management, primarily to reduce the impact and effects of climate change, as well as the more pronounced annual growth of visitors and the consequences it brings. An important impulse for the improvement of the management in the NP Krka will be the adoption of a new spatial plan that will define, based on the results of extensive multidisciplinary research, the opportunities for development of acceptable activities in the protected area.