Zagreb city forests Living Lab kicks off with first in-person meeting
November 8, 2024 | Branch Forest Office Zagreb, Grmoščica Park Forest
The first in-person meeting of the Zagreb City Forests Living Lab brought together key stakeholders to explore Integrative Forest Management in urban and peri-urban areas. Organized by the Croatian Forest Research Institute and hosted by Croatian Forests Ltd, the meeting introduced participants to the Living Lab (LL) approach of the TRANSFORMIT project.
Discussions focused on the role of Living Labs as a core element of the project, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities of managing Zagreb’s forests to balance recreation, conservation, and sustainable wood production.
Zagreb City Forests LL: A collaborative approach
The Zagreb City Forests LL is built on a strong foundation of cooperation between five key stakeholders. These forests, valued primarily for recreation and well-being, also contribute to the city’s environmental quality. While many are protected areas, they remain actively managed under an integrative approach that combines conservation with sustainable wood production.
The next major discussion on this approach will take place at the all-LL in-person meeting in April 2025, where Zagreb City Forests LL will host fellow TRANSFORMIT partners.
As part of the event, participants visited Grmoščica Park Forest, one of many urban forests within the Zagreb City Forests LL. This hads-on experience provided valuable insights into real-world management practices and the challenges of balancing nature conservation, public use, and resource sustainability.