2nd Conference on Native Breeds and Plant Varieties as part of natural and cultural heritage (22nd – 25th of September 2010, Poreč)

The main reason for organizing the 1st Conference on Native Breeds and Plant Varieties as part of natural and cultural heritage in November 2007 was the need to establish the communication between sectors who may seem incompatible: nature protection, cattle breeding, plant production, sociology, anthropology and cultural inheritance. The 1st Conference confirmed the endless chain of mutual cause-consequence connections and set out the necessity for scientific cooperation between different sectors. Also, it was necessary to analyze the current condition of indigenous forms of domestic animals and plants as well as the condition of nature habitats and analyze their part in conservation of biodiversity in Republic of Croatia according to the National program on accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union and implementing the ecological network NATURA 2000. Based on the announcements and discussions the terminal Conclusions are made and they are containing the basic guidelines and instructions for specific action plans of development and protection of biodiversity.

The 1st Conference looked on the all former activities from scientific view, established the difficulties and shortcomings and set up the new challenges through the Conclusions. As the Conclusions and the 1st Conference contributed a lot to the better connections and cooperation between sectors and also motivate the solutions of different assumptions, the State Institute for Nature Protection started organizing 2nd Conference on Native Breeds and Plant Varieties as part of natural and cultural heritage with international participation.

The Conference took place from 22nd - 24th of September 2010 in Poreč.

Besides the State Institute for Nature Protection, the organizations participated are: Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Rural Development, Croatian Agricultural Agency, Institute for Seed and Seedlings Osijek, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek, Department for Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting and Water Management of Istria County, Institut for agriculture and tourism Poreč and Agency for Rural Development of Istria.

The Conference lasted for two days through plenary presentations, oral presentations divided by theme sections and throughout the poster section.