As part of the LIFE RESTORE project, a working meeting was held by the staff of the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas and the Nature Network of the Virovitička-Podravina County and the project partner Hrvatske vode. During the visit, the two institutions' staff inspected the Orlovo Selište site, where work on the restoration of the side arm has begun.
The Orlovo Selište side arm is located in the municipality of Lukač, near the settlement of Veliko Polje. The works are being carried out by Hrvatske water in cooperation with the public institution of the Virovitička county. Information on the current state and progress of the works was exchanged during the inspection of the site, as well as further work on the restoration of the side arm.
The restoration includes the restoration of a 1.9 km long side arm by removing the existing stone barriers at its entrance and exit. The removal of the stone barriers is carried out in order to re-establish the natural connection with the main flow of the Drava.
The aim of the restoration is to ensure the presence of water within the side arm, to restore the natural hydrological and hydromorphological processes, and to improve the state of the river system and the biodiversity of the area. Within the framework of the project, research on biodiversity in the area of the side arm is foreseen, including research on birds and fish, as well as monitoring the state during and after the completion of the project. The project is co-financed by the European Union.
