engleski

Revitalization of Botanical Garden in Split, Croatia - challenges of implementation and legislation

The incentive for this research came from public insensitivity to natural values during the implementation of the landscape revitalization project (LRP) of the Botanical Garden on Marjan peninsula. Located within a protected area of the Marjan Forest Park it is characterized by natural values and unique landscape. The LRP was planned to preserve the existing valuable flora and different habitat types for the public and scientific research. The planning of this area sought to bring together natural and landscape values to connect users with the environment and to continue the pedagogical importance of the botanical garden. In the design phase, the link between conservation and scientific research on the approach to planning and design of a botanical garden were strictly defined. Given the complexity of space, during the project development arose many open issues related to (1) the protection of existing cultural heritage, (2) protection of natural values, and (3) safety of users defined by regulations in Construction Law (OG 153/13). The revitalization of the Botanical Garden started in parallel with the protection of the Marjan Forest Park from bark beetle infestation and the removal of a large part of the infected Aleppo pine forest. Situation in which state, county and city institutions, associations, NGOs, experts, scientists and residents of the city of Split are involved has shown (1) that each of the stakeholder group formed different opinion based on their role in space, (2) absence of a common approach, and (3) unwillingness to dialogue. The aim of the research is to determine methods and tools that will enable the optimization of future changes. Considering many involved stakeholders with different agenda the future management is still fuzzy. Partly it is because of inadequate legislation and spatial planning documents from the local to state level which disable the management of the Forest Park and Botanical Garden. In this extremely valuable protected landscape within the urban area it is important to implement conservation design and landscape management that support relevant opinions of all included stakeholders. This research showed that scientists are most involved in protection processes, while the developers and local government are more inclined to expand built areas and implement sport and recreational facilities. The methods proved to be the most suitable are participatory surveys and workshops, field-work, mapping, vulnerability analysis, social cost- benefit analysis, research of public opinion values as part of a long tradition of studying landscape as personal and collective cultural constructions.

Botanical garden, Split, revitalization, nature protection, participation, implementation

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