History of park protection

As the beauty and values of the NP “Kornati” was becoming more and more famous tourists came more intensive to visit this area during the 1960’s and -70’s. At he same time, the local residents (mainly residents of Murter as majority owners of realestate in Kornati) became aware of the potential dangers and harmful consequences – for Kornati – mass tourism (that dominated Croatia at the time) brings.

First concrete ideas about the park protection date back to 1964, and in year 1967 a proclamation was enacted that promoted the Kornati islands to a nature area reservation (at the time this was the mildest form of protection of nature areas)(Narodne Novine, br. 31/67). In the year 1967 a study was made with the purpose of proclaiming the Kornati area and the SE part of Dugi Otok a national park.

In the year 1980 the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia enacted the National Park Kornati Law (N.N., br. 31/80) which involved the so-called Lower Kornati (Kornati and Piskera insular chain) and the SE part of Dugi Otok with the Telascica bay. An area of 26.200 hectare ,which spread through two counties at the time, Šibenik and Zadar county, was now within the borders of the park. In 1981 a part of the national park administration was founded in Šibenik, and in 1982 another part of the administration was founded in Zadar. Already the next year Šibenik and Zadar county signed a document about shared promotion, protection, and preservation of the National Park “Kornati”. In 1985 after a failed attempt to conciliate the stands of the two counties about the administration of the National Park “Kornati” a proclamation about forming a work organization “NP Kornati” in formation was made by the association of counties Split. Determination of the two previous parts of administration was ended the following year.

In the year 1988 a Law of changes of the Law about the NP Kornati was proclaimed because of divergent management of the park by the two counties on whose territory Kornati are situated (N.N., br. 14/88). With this law the NW part of the NP “Kornati” (up to the boundary of the two counties) was separated from the park and named Nature Park “Telascica”, and the SE part of the park – which was quite bigger and in the Šibenik county – retained the status and the name the National Park “Kornati”. Now the park had 22.237 hectare and it included 91 islands, islets and cliffs.

In the year 1990 the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia declared a Spatial plan of the National Park “Kornati” (N.N., br. 2/90), and in the year 1996 the headmaster of the State administration for protection of cultural and natural heritage enacted the Book of Rules for inner order in the National “Park Kornati” (N.N.,br.38/96).

In 1997 the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia enacted the Law about changes of the Law about the National Park “Kornati” (N.N., br. 13/97). With this law the territory of the park was cut to 21.800 hectare and 89 islands, islets and cliffs. This law is still effective.