an example
of preservation environmentally most important parts
of the area with stewardship agreements with the owners,
and with creation of the network of micro-reserves in
order to protect endangered species and habitats
Keywords:
biodiversity
land-use planning
preservation of traditional agricultural practices
public
participation
public-private partnership
naturalistic tourism
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Location
The Karst Edge extends within 20 kilometres long and
2,5 kilometres wide zone from Socerb at Slovenian-Italian
border to Mlini at Slovenian-Croatian border. It covers
the area of approximately 7000 hectares. The area represents
the boundary between the flysch area of Slovenian coast
with typical Mediterranean climate and the higher karstic
area where continental influence from the central Slovenia
is already present.
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Importance
The Karst Edge area - the limestone border between
continental and coastal part of Slovenia - offers one
of the most impressive views of the Slovenian landscape.
The area is also marked by extreme variety of plant and
animal species, and their habitats. In this landscape
the semi natural dry grasslands interlace with the rocky
limestone slopes, screes and karst ponds, the peculiarity
of karstic cultural and natural heritage. Many rare and
endangered species could be found, among them are also
Moehringia tommasiniana, amphibians in the ponds,
and some endangered butterfly and bird species.
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Photo: Arhiv Znanstveno
raziskovalnega središca Koper
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Problem
One of the main problems of the degradation of Karst
edge’s habitats lies in the depopulation of the
area and abandonment of traditional land use - pasturing
and mowing. The consequences are overgrowing of dry
meadows with the forest and disappearing of the ponds.
Another problem is low awareness of local people and
public in general regarding exceptional importance of
the nature and landscape of the Karst Edge. These altogether
blurs exceptional potentials of the area for development
alternative forms of tourism (excursions, hiking, riding,
tourist farm-houses, lodging-houses, educational tourism,
etc.) and sustainable agriculture.
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Project
Within the program Life - Natura 2000 the project “Conservation
of endangered habitats and species in the area of the
Karst Edge” was carried out by the University of
Primorska, Science and Research Centre of Koper between
the 2002 and 2005. The project’s goal is preservation
of nature resources and cultural landscape, as well as
improvement of living conditions for local population.
Both goals are to be realised with preservation of endangered
habitats and species and with appropriate assistance for
economic development of the Karst Edge as an area foreseen
for naturalistic tourism.
The project represents a model of establishing a new type
of conservation of the most important parts of nature
with the stewardship agreements and with the creation
of the network of micro-reserves. It is expected that
300 ha of the most valuable habitats will be renovated
and protected. The protection proposal for at least one
third of the most valuable area with endangered habitats
is prepared. Raising awareness about environmental importance
and local support for successful protection of habitats
and species is another important element of the project.
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Photo: Andrej Gogala |
Results
Within the project the inventory of species and their
habitats was prepared. Specially important areas for the
existence of species and habitats were defined, and agreements
with the land owners about maintenance of the area under
protection were signed (stimulations for regular mowing
and restoration of already overgrown areas, and ecological
restoration of karstic ponds). Various promotion campaign
to raise awareness and to promote the meaning and importance
of the Karst Edge area, along with the promotion of sustainable
land-use and economical development of the area, were
taken. Local newspaper “Kraski rob” is published,
web site about Karst Edge is online, various workshops
were organised, collaboration with the Agricultural chamber
is arranged, and pamphlets and other promotional material
were prepared. The project gave basic infrastructure for
support and implementation of sustainable tourism and
recreation. This includes restoration of an old school
in Rakitovec into an information centre for visitors and
tourists, as well as installation of permanent exhibition
about karstic ponds.
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Further information
www.zrs-kp.si/projekti/life/
www.gov.si/mop/
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COMMENTS AND THEORY
A good and efficient way of preserving environmentally
the most important parts of a protected area is protection
based on stewardship agreements with landowners together
with creation of the network of micro-reserves. Another
important element is also understanding of environmental
importance of the area by local community and consequently
appropriate local support for successful protection of
habitats and species.
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| QUESTION
How to ensure development of an
area that confronts abandoning of traditional
land-use and depopulation, and at the same time,
to ensure protection of habitats, rich on plant
and animal life, that crucially depend on traditional
land-use practices?
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Prepared by:
IIDE – Institute for Integral Development and Environment
(Marta Vahtar, Maja Zdesar and Miran Rusjan) |
