Catalyst of Change
Supporting a vibrant civil society in Europe
Brod Ecological Society (BED)
bed.hrFounded on 19 May 1989, the Brod Ecological Society (BED) is one of Croatia’s oldest civil society organisations. Emerging from a citizens’ initiative to preserve Gajna, BED helped secure its status as a protected landscape in 1990 and continues to manage it with local authorities. The organisation has around 60 members and 40 active volunteers, promotes biodiversity, landscape conservation, cultural heritage, and participates in about 30 major projects along the Sava River. As part of national and international networks and the ICCA Consortium, BED drives advocacy, knowledge transfer, and sustainable development initiatives across Croatia.
About the Project
People for Nature, Nature for People
Common and protected grasslands are rare in Croatia, and Gajna is the only one of its kind, thanks to BED’s long-term preservation work. Gajna remains a leading example of successful community-based land management. BED continues its legal fight to protect common lands in a system that favours private ownership, facing constant challenges that have limited its visibility and ability to focus on nature conservation. This project aimed to strengthen BED’s public presence and highlight its decades of work in the Gajna area. BED digitalised 35 years of archival photos, organised a public exhibition and photo contest, updated its website, and launched a LinkedIn page. Communication efforts included appearances on local radio, television, and news portals. The project also strengthened internal capacity by recognising volunteers with memorabilia and creating promotional materials such as calendars and merchandise.
Communication Outputs
Media Coverage
BED and their Visibility Project received coverage in local and national newspapers:
SBTV – DNEVNIK – VAŽNOST URBANOG OZELENJAVANJA – 23.07.2024.
SBTV – DNEVNIK – IZLOŽBA BED-a “LJUDI ZA PRIRODU, PRIRODA ZA LJUDE” – 10.09.2024.
SBTV – SB INFO – BRODSKO EKOLOŠKO DRUŠTVO U NOVIM PROJEKTIMA – 21.09.2024.
SBTV – DNEVNIK – BRODSKO EKOLOŠKO DRUŠTVO O VAŽNOSTI ODRŽIVE MODE – 29.10.2024.
SBTV – KLOPKA – BRODSKO EKOLOŠKO DRUŠTVO – 15.10.2024.
The landscape pearl near Slavonski Brod is a great example of a sustainable ecosystem – HRT
Brodsko ekološko društvo obilježava 35 godina djelovanja, najavljene brojne aktivnosti
‘He is a pioneer and is the most deserving of what Gajna is today’ | Plusportal
Izložba “Ljudi za prirodu, priroda za ljude” otvorena u Gradskoj knjižnici Slavonski Brod
Maltretiranje okolišnih organizacija – H-Alter
Aditionally, BED won the prestigious ecological Green Butterfly Award in 2024:
Dodjela nagrada „Zeleni leptir 2024.“ – VLbiz
Radio Slavonia | Green Butterfly awarded for the work of the Brod Ecological Society on Gajna
Nisu čekali državu – sami su spasili prirodu i dobili nagradu
Dodijeljen Zeleni leptir za rad Brodskog ekološkog društva na Gajni !
Recognition for the work of people who watch over areas such as Gajna | Plusportal
Project Communications
This section presents BED’s own communications as part of the Catalyst project.
Funded by the European Union
name
Catalyst of Change: Protecting the Union values by supporting a resilient, engaged and vocal civil society for the promotion of women’s rights, environmental justice and anti-corruption
partner
European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting (ECNL)
duration
1 January 2023- 31 December 2026
budget
3,411.982 EUR
