Every year the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories competition collects good practice stories from destinations all over the world to be shared as inspiring examples to others, from tourism professionals to travelers. By telling their stories, destination management organisations are acknowledged and recognised for the solutions they have implemented in response to challenges and problems to sustainable development they have faced. With the tourism sector facing very challenging times in the past years, the resiliency and hard work of these destinations to become more responsible should be celebrated.
The 2025 selection included Plitvice Lakes National Park, with the story “Feel the pulse of the forest – biomonitoring of forest growth and carbon storage”.
In the fight against climate change, forests are the most powerful natural carbon sinks. At Plitvice Lakes National Park ten biomonitoring stations were installed in 2024 and will remain operational until 2028. These include devices for measuring tree growth, devices for measuring water movement from roots to leaves, and sustainable meteorological stations. Visitors to the Park will be able to scan QR codes from interpretive panels at several biomonitoring stations to monitor meteorological data, tree growth, and carbon sequestration in real time. The collected data is processed by the Faculty of Forestry in Zagreb and published in annual reports. This innovative approach to biomonitoring is adaptable to forest ecosystems around the world. Biomonitoring provides a powerful tool for smarter management of protected areas, a deeper understanding of climate change, and is a reminder of the recognition of forests as the “lungs” of our planet.
Submissions from 33 countries were evaluated by the Green Destinations Top 100 Team, country experts, and Green Destination Partners, coordinated by Green Destinations. The Top 100 Committee stresses that selection to the Top 100 list does not imply the destination is sustainable, but that the destination has been pre-selected based on a minimum level of compliance with the core criteria of the Green Destinations Standard and selected to the list based on the assessment of their Good Practice Story.
The competition is held under the auspices of the Top 100 Partnership, with special contributions by: Green Destinations, QualityCoast, ITB Berlin, Asian Ecotourism Network, Ecotourism Australia, DEL Turismo, Slovenia Green, Global Ecotourism Network and the Future of Tourism Coalition.
The story “Feel the pulse of the forest – biomonitoring of forest growth and carbon storage” and the whole 2025 Top 100 list are available on the Green Destinations website.
About Green Destinations
Green Destinations is the world’s largest network of destinations committed to sustainability, supported by more than 50 program partners worldwide. Our goal is to support destinations in improving quality and sustainability based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and globally agreed principles. Over 600 destinations and 400 businesses in 60 countries have already joined our programs. and 400 businesses. For more information, visit our website: www.greendestinations.org
About the Green Destinations Top 100 competition
The Top 100 competition recognises and honours tourism destinations worldwide that are working toward more sustainable and responsible tourism practices. Each year, the competition invites destinations worldwide to submit their stories, showcasing how they address key challenges in environmental protection, social equity, cultural preservation, and economic viability in tourism. Visit our website: www.greendestinations.org/top-100-destinations/
For more information, please contact us at:
- Green Destinations Communications, communication@greendestinations.org
- Green Destinations Top 100: top100@greendestinations.org
