Owners who have a stork nest on their roof are eligible for an allowance of HRK 700 per annum for each nest as part of the project that is aimed at preserving biological diversity. The Environment Protection and Energy Efficiency Agency covers half the costs and counties covered by the project cover the other half.
"Croatia is one of the richest European countries with regard to bio-diversity and it is our duty to protect and preserve that biological diversity for us and the generations to come. White storks are amongst those species whose survival is closely linked with humans, they build their nests on house roofs and so once again we are co-financing the preservation of white stork nests," Environment and Nature Protection Minister Mihael Zmajlovic said.
The largest number of stork nests, 230, is located in Sisak-Moslavina County, 120 are located in Zagreb County and around 80 in Slavonski Brod-Posavina County.
Storks are part of the identity of Croatian villages. They come to Croatia in the spring and remain until late summer when they migrate back to Africa. The white stork is an endangered species and its survival is dependent on village life. They prefer damp fields and traditionally cultivated farmland as this provides the most appropriate feeding ground for the stork.