Ecological village Čadrg

Best Practice

Topics

• Regional value added

Short description

Čadrg is a small alpine village in the hills of Tolmin on the edge of the Triglav National Park. In this region, cheese-making is a traditional activity. Cheese diary in Čadrg village was damaged by earthquake in 1998. Since then cheese products no longer could be sold, owing to strict regulations. The village made a decision to renovate the cheese diary and to focus on ecological cheese-making. The way of work, devided to 4 eco-farms, and harmony of the villagers, are key to success, which makes people stay in this village. Čadrg has recently gathered more public inclination, because the village accepted the Don Pierino Community named Meeting. Čadrg is an example of alpine village, which in spite of its remoteness has no trouble in surviving itself with traditional activities.

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Participants

Villagers are the holders of activities and ideas. The most active is mrs. Marijana Bončina, who allready takes care of the connection between the village and other institutions. The Triglav National Park (TNP) is very significant for the success of the village itself. The experts on agriculture have motivated the villagers to start practicing the ecological agriculture. TNP has also made for them a project work, which has won the Henry Ford prize. Educations on ecological agriculture were organised, expert assistance for the villagers is also always at hand. The Community of Tolmin supports the cheese-making and has given the village all financial support and has arranged matters for the renovation of the cheese diary. Agricultural Forestry Institute of Slovenia – Agricultural Advisory Service Tolmin gives expert help and advice. Karitas has given financial and moral support for the Don Pierino community.

Objectives

Čadrg has become one of the most recognizable ecological villages in Slovenia. In spite of its remotenes, more and more people come here to visit and relax, which has led to start of catering and apartment offer. Ecological making of cheese and curds enables important income that makes the yunger stay in the village. The project has also achieved preservation on natural and cultural heritage.

Activities

Education of the villagers about ecological agriculture, organised by Triglav National Park and led by Bioernte – the Carinthian organisation. Declaration of project work »Biovas Čadrg« for the Henry Ford prize. Decision of three (till five) farms for ecological agriculture. Don Pierino community Meeting which helps the addicted people was formed. Cheese diary was renovated by all veterinary regulations. The first three farms gathered the certificate for ecological farming and have started to use the brand »Biodar«. Cheese from Čadrg has been sold by a common brand » Tolminc«, which has geografical origin. With the help of TNP the villagers organised the first meeting of alpine farmers in Slovenia.

Process

The activities can be divided into three phases: 1.st phase, the preparatory phase: In 1998 an earthquake occured in this part of the country. It has pretty damaged the cheese diary. The villagers decided to start with ecological farming. IN the same time they suggested to invite the Don Pierino community. 2.nd phase was a renovation of cheese diary and the necessary activities to gather the certificates for ecological farming. This setteled good basis for working and for recognition of the village. 3.rd phase is marketing and selling of harvest and staritng with catering offer. In 2006 there will be new apartments and smaller catering place.

Results

Project has increased the income of the farms which have decided for ecological farming and which cooperate in cheese-making. The number of visitors and customers is increasing and they have more trust in ecological. products. Čadrg has became recognizable in Slovenia and also abroad as ecological village. Community Don Pierino has brought positive vision for the village. Villagers agree to have such kind of community in their village.

Evaluation

Project has not been specially evaluated.

Difficulties

Project has not faced bigger problems. Usually the hugest problem is financial and the problem of cooperation of villagers. The main financial injection was gathered with the Hebry Ford prize and by the Community of Tolmin. The biggest problems occured when villagers had to get used to leading of evidences and to other birocratic work, necessary for the working of the cheese diary.

Budget

94.000 Euro, from which the main part goes for the renovation and equipment of the cheese diary. (Euro)

Financial backer

Community of Tolmin contributed 83 300 Euro for the renovation. The prize of Henry Ford 10 500 Euro contributet to the equipment. Ministry for space and envirnment contributed 200 Euro for the organisation of the meeting.

Source of information

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://

Publication

There is no publication about Čadrg. As an individual theme it has been mentioned in publications about TNP.

Project executive as above

Contact person as above

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

Owing to the project, pastures and other grass surfaces have been maintained and owing to this alpine countryside is being preserved. This means also a preservation of some plant species.

Economic value added

Production of cheese increased – they sell 3 tones more than before the renovation of cheese diary, all in all they make 13 tones. They also make 6,5 tons of curds a year. Products ensure 2 working places in the village.

Socio-cultural value added

With the effects of cheese making and ecological farming interest for ecological food has increased. For the community, the bigest effect has Don Pierino, which on one hand enables cure of addicted, on the other hand it also represents the problem to public. The problems of addicted are not tabu anymore, people have become more tolerant. Project has not had any special effect on sex or age equallity.

Innovative content

Project has not brought special inovative methods, but it prooved that working in harmony as in Čadrg can bring an important part of income by doing traditional activities. Interesting model is the devision of work, costs and income of cheese diary, where 4 farms are included.

Good governance

Villagers have made decisions about their future on their own, but TNP is the one who has the main role for transparency and effectveness. TNP has educated, directed and helped the villagers in renovation and in starting of ecological farming.

PR impact

Project has not included special promotion. The most wide repercussions had the prize of Henry Ford, when a lot of people heard of Čadrg for the first time. Since the reconstruction of cheese diary the villagers are frequently present on exhebitions and fairs, whwer they promote their products and gather many new customers.Wide repercussions had also some visits of important people, such as the visit of the swedish king couple in 2004, the visit of the chair man of CIA and the visit of EU commissar for agriculture mrs. Mariana Fischer Boel in 2005.

Multiplier effect / networking

In the first phase village searched for experiences from abroad. When ecological farming started farmers from Čadrg also started with sharing their experiences with other alpine regions in Slovenia. For now, there has not been any important activities which would have their source in experiences from Čadrg.

Transferability

The way of work is the most important experience that the villagers can spread to other regions and sectors. Pozitive results can be achieved with collective decisions, proper work division and persistence. This applies not only to cheese-making but also to other branches (specially in alpine areas).

Further information

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