Town and Nature in Harmony: Wrapping Up the Year with New Homes for Squirrels, Birds, Hedgehogs, and Insects

The Town of Poreč has taken another step in preserving nature and protecting urban wildlife. As part of the ongoing Lend a Hand to Nature project, which focuses on the repopulation of red squirrels and promoting coexistence with nature, 30 homes for squirrels, feeders, and waterers for squirrels, birds, hedgehogs, and insects have been installed at four locations across the town.

With financial support from the town, five waterers and ten homes for squirrels, nesting materials, seven bird feeders, a bird bath, four concrete waterers for birds and hedgehogs, three insect hotels, and six hedgehog houses have been provided. Additionally, the Health Center Harmony association has secured 20 more squirrel homes, 10 waterers, and 10 squirrel feeders, along with nesting materials, through donations from citizens across Croatia.

Thanks to the selfless efforts of volunteers, this equipment has been placed in green areas and small woodlands to provide urban wildlife with safe spaces for feeding, resting, and preparing for winter. Special thanks go to volunteers from Austria, Elisabeth and Rebecca Spangl, who joined us in setting up the equipment.

A symbolic handover event was held at the Town Beach, where a squirrel house and feeder were installed. On this occasion, Mayor Loris Peršurić highlighted that the project is not only beneficial to wildlife but also serves as an educational tool for citizens, emphasizing the importance of living in harmony with nature.

The project officially started earlier this year, although its initiators, volunteers Conny Peto Đeneš and Dražen Požarić from the Health Center Harmony association, have been taking care of Poreč’s squirrels for five years, dedicating three hours daily to this cause. With the support of the Town of Poreč, Valamar Riviera, the Zagreb Zoo, the Poreč Tourist Board, Healthy Town Poreč, the Veterinary Hospital of Poreč, and the Natura Histrica Public Institution, the project has also received formal approval from the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development - Environment Protection.

Plans for the upcoming year include installing educational signs about proper squirrel and bird diets, planting trees such as hazelnuts, walnuts, pines, and fruit trees, and creating safe crossings for squirrels and hedgehogs. Furthermore, educational brochures and children’s picture books will be published with Valamar’s financial support, and public lectures will be held to raise awareness about the importance of preserving nature in urban environments.

At the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, the second phase of the project—reintegrating squirrels into the Pical area—will commence. Lend a Hand to Nature is not just a project but an invitation to everyone to contribute to the preservation of local ecosystems and the protection of wildlife. Thanks to the collective effort, Poreč is becoming a model town where both people and nature can thrive together.

A feature about this initiative aired on Nova TV Prime News on November 5, 2024. You can watch HERE