Nature Park Vransko Lake
The dry stone wall season 2016 begins with the traditional activities but shine in a new light with a volunteer program “Dry Stone Wall Mason” in the olive grove Modrave organised as a part of the national program “Volunteer in Parks of Croatia”
From a dozen registered volunteers, 6 dry stone wall masons will devote seven days of valuable time and labor to promoting and rebuilding stone walls of the former largest olive groves of the eastern Adriatic coast in Vransko Lake Nature Park.
Arable plots in Modrave area are separated by high and wide stone walls filled with stone piles. Dry stone walls are complemented by a number of trails with a total length of 30 km, which connect the farthest arable land with Murter and Betina sea ports. Farmers of Murter and Betina are majority owners of Modrave properties.
From 6th to 13th May during 7 days, volunteers will learn and improve many skills, renewing dry stone walls – buildings of natural stone which are made without the use of mortar or binder, cutting down bush and clearing vegetation covering the stone walls as well as geo-referenced existing drywall structures with recording coordinates and photographing stone walls. The volunteers will also Inform the public (visitors of the Park) about reconstruction activities, and thus fully contributing to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage of the Park.
Accommodation and food is provided for free to the volunteers by the Nature park in e Campsite Kalebić, but the volunteers have to organise their own tent. In addition to education about values of the Vransko Lake Nature Park and techniques of constructing the stone walls, volunteers will have the opportunity to explore the Park and its surroundings and meet local drystone masters and associations.
All interested visitors willing to learn more or join the volunteer program can contact the number +385912323099 (Norma Fressel, volunteer coordinator).
Modrave olivegrove
At the end of the 19th century vine as the original culture in Modrave, was devastated and destroyed by phylloxera and farmers started to plant olive trees. At the beginning of the 20th century, they cleared and settled the karst areas in Modrave, planted and cultivated over 180 000 olive trees, and every part of this barren land, taken from stone, was carefully cultivated. The result is the largest and most compact olive grove on this side of the Adriatic Sea, which extends on an isthmus between the sea and Vransko Lake, on the area of 12 km2.
