WORKSHOP: MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF MURTER-KORNATI (2/3).

The workshop “Participatory management – spatial and development planning of the local community of the Municipality of Murter – Kornati” within the project SAIL (sub-activity 1.6.4.)
was held on Friday the 5th, November 2021, starting at 10.00. Due to the epidemiological situation, the workshop was held online via the Zoom platform.
The participants of the workshop were representatives of civil society organizations, the Municipality of Murter-Kornati and other public institutions.

In the first part of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Sc. Josip Faričić, from the Department of Geography and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Zadar, pointed out the importance of the spatial resources of the community and the dangers of their excessive and inappropriate use.
Space is a precious resource consisting of various natural, cultural and other social and economic components. However, when using space, it often becomes an area of multiple contacts and conflicts. In addition, the approach to the use of space ranges from extremely protective in relation to natural and cultural heritage, to extremely utilitarian and totally exploitative. For this reason, the space is often seen as a common good in which unconditionally or conditionally everyone should be provided with the right to enjoy and a space as a private good in which only particular (proprietary, sectoral) interests can be practiced.
In view of the above and in circumstances of poor legislative framework and supervision, excessive and inappropriate uses of space often occur. This is particularly evident in the attractive area of the coast and the associated marine area, with various forms of usurpation and degradation, and permanent devastation of numerous components of natural and cultural heritage.
Therefore , it is necessary to plan and implement those measures and activities that will holistically approach natural and cultural heritage as a resource base and spatial identity. Also, when implementing development policies, it is necessary to determine the capacity of spaces, according to the principles of sustainable development, which most often remains a declarative phrase, and the perniciousness of its superficial and fawning use is best manifested in small and sensitive spatial mechanisms.
This said, it is necessary to practice to a greater extent the principle (sincere rather than declaratory) of participatoryness of different stakeholders in order to avoid marginalisation of the local population and the care of the public good. This opposes to the particular interests of stakeholders who view the space narrowly sectorally, with a pronounced pragmatic sign (in the coastal area this applies in particular to tourism and mariculture), with the availability and protection of the environment and cultural heritage completely ignored. This approach to the notion of space has provoked an interesting, constructive and long debate among participants.

After a short break, doc. Ph.D. Tomislav Klarin, from the Department of Tourism and Communication Sciences at the University of Zadar, held a development workshop based on collaborative leadership and multi-part (participatory) management.
The introductory examination and practical examples served participants to jointly determine the situation in the local community of the Municipality of Murter – Kornati. In doing so, they used SWOT analysis as an analytical tool. From it, they were able to clearly identify the possibilities and limitations of development, but also the different directions of development that are then defined as development (long-term and short-term) goals.
In view of the above, it should be noted that from the analytical and prospective part it is possible to establish common values of development integrated into the common mission and vision. However, all this should be clearly and strongly correlated with the goals set, which is not easy.
Given the limited time, participants set one development goal based on the SWOT analysis that can be developed at a different level – in the long term as a strategic objective and in the short term operational as a measure that contributes to the strategic long-term goal. The objective is elaborated and operationalized with all the necessary elements of measurement and monitoring (activities, indicators, carriers, users, etc.).
The workshop met the needs of participants but, even more, pointed to the complexity of the planning, measurement and monitoring processes of development, which requires professional and practical knowledge in management.

Bearing in mind all the presented and feedback from the participants in the workshop, it can be concluded that in the future it is necessary to think about raising the knowledge and competences of all relevant stakeholders involved in development processes, in the direction of planning and management of space; planning, measuring and monitoring the development of the local community.