Scientists Gather at Medvedgrad to Examine Zagreb and Medvednica’s Pressing Questions

For two days, scientists and experts will examine the environmental and geological questions shaping Medvednica and Zagreb. The third international scientific and professional conference, “Green Touch of Medvednica,” will be held at the Medvedgrad Visitor Center on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The program ranges from the condition of Medvednica’s beech forests in a warming climate to the quality of water at its springs. Speakers will also discuss the mountain’s hydrogeological systems, its oldest fossils, the Zrinski mine and the hygiene quality of spring water.

A major focus will be the preservation of ecosystems. Researchers will present findings on the stability of beech forests under changing climate conditions, the spread of pine processionary moths toward continental urban areas in Croatia, and the condition of fish and other animal species. They will also examine links between forests and groundwater.

The second day will turn toward technology and urban concerns. Topics include digital monitoring of forest ecosystems and the early leaf-color changes caused by heat and drought stress in 2024. The program also includes radon measurements in Zagreb, climate change in the city’s protected areas, and the archaeological potential of Medvednica’s eastern slopes.

Visitors will hear new findings about Veternica and its wider cave network, as well as research into Saharan sand and air quality, radioactive cesium and strontium in rainfall and milk in the Zagreb region, radon monitoring in Veternica, and asbestos and asbestos-cement materials in Zagreb.