World Wetlands Day was marked on 2 February 2026 at the Visitor Centre near the Drava River in Osijek, with the event hosted by the Public Institution for Nature Protection in Osijek-Baranya County.
The celebration was organised in cooperation with Croatian Forest Management and brought together partners and associates from several organisations active in nature conservation. Among the invited guests was the State Secretary from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition. As part of the annual International Waterbird Census (IWC), institutions involved in nature protection conduct winter waterbird monitoring in the field. On this occasion, colleagues from neighbouring counties were invited to jointly present the results of their winter counts.
Alongside the Public Institution for Nature Protection in Osijek-Baranya County, representatives from Kopački rit Nature Park, Vukovar-Syrmia County, Požega-Slavonia County, and Brod-Posavina County shared data on wintering waterbird populations from their respective regions.
The programme also included discussions on river restoration, climate change, extreme weather events, and volunteering, creating valuable space for the exchange of data, perspectives, and ideas. Participants represented a broad range of environment-related professions, including forestry, birdwatching, hydrology, ecology, and biology.
The event attracted strong interest from local media, which provided coverage across television, radio, and print outlets. In addition, the celebration was shared through social media channels, helping to reach a wider public audience.
The event was implemented with the financial support of the Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative.