The very first incubation grant of Nature Returns has just been sent to OPG Grgić for developing their honeybee park in Croatia, where they will improve their business back-to-back with more visitation and synergies with the Lonjsko Polje Park whilst maintaining ecological quality of this amazing area. Congrats to Rahela and Ivan Grgić!
In the quiet stretches of Lonjsko Polje, Rahela and Ivan Grgić are building something lasting. Through their family farm — OPG Grgić — they nurture bees, produce honey, and help keep alive a landscape where tradition, conservation, and rural life intertwine. Their apiary is more than a business; it’s a place of learning and a living example of how humans and nature can thrive together. Here, in one of Europe’s last great floodplains, the Nature Returns grant became a part of their story.
How it Began
Rahela first learned about the grant through an announcement on Lonjsko Polje Nature Park website. After a meeting with the park staff and a clear explanation of the application process, the decision to apply came naturally. As a young family eager for new challenges, they saw an opportunity to bring long-standing ideas to life — to expand their beekeeping operation, strengthen its educational role, and raise awareness about the Nature Park and importance of pollinators.
Bees as Custodians of the Landscape
The contribution OPG Grgić makes to nature is rooted in their daily work — protecting and supporting pollinators. With a growing number of hives, their honey production plays an important role in maintaining local ecosystems. At the same time, they help restore overgrown areas and revitalize a region facing depopulation.
But Rahela and Ivan’s vision extends further. They hope to create stronger connections between local tourism, nature, and people living in Lonjsko Polje — linking their visitors and customers with other rural experiences such as horseback riding and farm stays. The approach is simple – good product and increased visibility will attract more visitors, and more visitors to the park will help the whole region prosper.
Support that Accelerated Growth
The Nature Returns project offered more than financial assistance. Through support form Connectology, Rahela joined monthly sessions dedicated to developing new ideas and improving business strategies. Connectology helped OPG Grgić a model for tracking website visitors and having them connected with a designer who now supports their visual identity.
What’s Changing for the Business
With the grant, OPG Grgić is expanding its capacity for receiving visitors — they are developing an indoor space that will allow educational workshops and visits throughout more of the year. Their visibility within local tourism networks is increasing, and new honey product lines are being developed, packaged in custom jars. Soon, their honey will proudly carry the Nature Returns and Lonjsko Polje Park logos.
By Marko Pecarević
