The Favourite Zadar Strolling and Outing Site Shines in All Its New Glory

Even to this day, the Musapstan forest has been a place of recreation or just a walk of our fellow citizens, and after the redevelopment is complete, with new facilities, it will certainly become a site that will shine in all its glory. As we found out, the handover of the renewed park-forest will take place by the end of February and then it will be available for use with all the accompanying facilities.

When we mention the accompanying facilities, then we speak of the newly-built children's playground, training ground and trim trail, in whose construction the Croatian Forests have invested 100,000 euros. After the completion of this part of the works, the communal part will follow, for which the Administrative Department for Communal Activities and Environmental Protection of the City of Zadar is in charge.

“In accordance with the Agreement with the Croatian Forests, the Administrative Department for Communal Services and Environmental Protection will build natural barriers along the edge of the forest so that, after the Croatian Forests set up ramps, they have control over vehicle entry into the forest. The value of our works is 270,000 kuna”, informed us the Department Head, Mr Robertino Dujela.

Part of the works under the jurisdiction of the Croatian Forests - Zadar Forestry is included in the implementation of the European project "Arrangement of Educational and Trim Trails With Accompanying Facilities." The project is a contender for measure 8.5.2. (Establishment and arrangement of educational trails, viewpoints and other smaller infrastructure) and realized by the Croatian Forests - Zadar Forestry.

If you have already visited the Musapstan park-forest, then you have certainly noticed the equipment set up on the training ground, as well as the children's playground with all the facilities for children together with a space called the "green classroom". The new arrangement will certainly mean restricting the access of vehicles to the terrains, and ramps will be installed.

“Croatian Forests and the City of Zadar have signed an agreement on the construction of embankments and the installation of ramps in order to prevent vehicles from entering the forest area (except for vehicles in the service of firefighting and forest management). The construction of the embankment around the Musapstan forest complex is underway, which will be realized by the City of Zadar, and Croatian Forests will install ramps at all entrances. As part of the implementation of this project, the City of Zadar will arrange part of the area for parking space that will be provided in the southern part of the Musapstan complex”, said Mr Mislav Maršić, Zadar Forestry Executive.

Given the already mentioned importance of the Musapstan forest, this kind of landscaping project will undoubtedly prevent any exploitation of this Dalmatian pearl.

“In this area, there is one of the largest, oldest and best-preserved cultures of pines (primarily pine) on the Adriatic coast, which spreads over 250 ha, which is a very large area for the Mediterranean karst. The value of the forest has often been emphasized by foresters, but the public unappreciated this Dalmatian pearl. Frequent problems with the disposal of bulky, communal and construction waste filled newspaper columns, and numerous attempts by foresters to bring the value of the Musapstan forest closer to the public did not bear fruit. Therefore, a newer, different and more proactive approach to communication with the public was necessary, from which the idea to allow citizens use such a high-value space originated. Such examples in world practice have proven to be the best form of protection, because by using space, an individual comes to terms with it and protects and cares for it more. Accordingly, the foresters of the Zadar Forestry decided to create conditions so that citizens could use Musapstan on a daily and safe basis, and the Rural Development Programme of the Republic of Croatia Type of Operation 8.5.2. "Establishment and arrangement of educational trails, viewpoints and other smaller infrastructure" is ideal, because it offers the possibility of building educational trails with the accompanying infrastructure without which, this type of communication could not be achieved”, said Mr Maršić.

Musapstan forest, on the other hand, does not have the status of a protected area of a park forest, but it is a forest complex managed by the Croatian Forests - Zadar Forestry. Therefore, the protection of this area is even more important, especially when we speak about the bad practice until now that the forest was used as an illegal dump site.

“The initiative of the Communal Department was made with the aim of finally preventing the dumping of waste into the environment. Depending on the weather, the works will last for another month. They are performed by the contracted maintenance contractor of the City of Zadar, Stipčević. Once again, we would hereby like to emphasise that recycling yards are available to our citizens free of charge for bulky waste in three locations: the area of the Diklo landfill, Gaženica and at the very area of the Čistoća company”, emphasized the Department Head, Mr Dujela.