„The series of photographs was originally conceived as a diary-like record documenting the devastation of forests on Mount Medvednica, and subsequently the devastation of forests throughout Croatia that failed to provoke a public response. The uncontrolled clearing of forests disrupts the natural habitats of animals, which are then labelled as a threat to humans. While a smaller portion of logging takes place legitimately for the purposes of reforestation, the majority occurs in pursuit of profit by anonymous interest groups. The work does not point solely to corruption, nor only to the absence of oversight, regulation, and control of state resources, but also to media silence, and consequently to the shared fate of forests across Croatia. Photographs of ravaged mountain landscapes produced at a time of heightened ecological awareness serve as a reminder of the brutality of capital and profit, both active and tacit. The photographs were taken at the following locations: Papuk–Lapjak; Dinara – Brezovac –Sinjal; Medvednica – the Bažulovka trail; Fužine – Bitoraj; Medvednica – Pečovje – Gorščica.“ Apart from the situations encountered, this photo project also has the series called Natura morte- focused on detail
Sa svih klizišta, zbog posječenih stabala, pucat će predivan pogled na pustoš, a Hrvatske šume postat će Hrvatska pustoš jer su gospodarili našim šumama kao da su amazonska prašuma. Važno je da su posadili novac na neko plodno tlo. Gdje su nestale šume to se nikada saznati neće, jer vjetrenjače šute, a granice ne postoje, posebice ljudske gramzivosti. /
From every landslide, caused by the felling of trees, there will be a magnificent view of the wasteland. Croatian Forests will become a Croatian wasteland, for our forests have been managed as though they were the Amazon rainforest. What matters is that money has been planted in fertile ground. Where the forests have disappeared to may never be known, because the wind turbines remain silent and borders do not exist—especially not for human greed.
— From the column Who Stole Our Forests? by Krešimir Butković, 5 October 2021.
