Nature resource management in the Lower Neretva Delta

Sa？etak This paper deals with the socio-geographic issues in the Lower Neretva Delta in southern Croatia, where a new nature park is planned. This paper analyses the problems concerning the park boundaries and the future park’s functioning. These problems are analysed in the framework of the most important socio-geographic processes, examined in the context of conflicts between three social groups: farmers, the construction industry and environmentalists. The objective is to define the geographic zones that may soon come under pressure as a result of population and agricultural development. The results show that certain areas are already encompassed by dynamic socio-geographic processes. In those areas, a certain resistance for the nature park project is present. These issues may be overcome through the mutual agreement of the three most influential social groups representing the stakeholders involved in the proces