Sustainable management of Pohorje – Suport

Web:
Contact: Zavod za gozdove Slovenije, Slovenia forest service,
http://www.zgs.si/zavod_za_gozdove_slovenije/index.html
VProject manager: Ljudmila Medved
E-mail: ljudmila.medved@zgs.si

Due to its natural resources, Pohorje is a part of the Natura 2000 ecological network, but for a variety of factors, mostly tourism and recreation, the most valuable parts of Pohorje are endangered. The numbers of many bird species, amphibians and butterflies are declining rapidly. This is why the SUPORT project goal is to find sustainable development strategies for Pohorje that will ensure the protection of valuable natural areas and outdoor leisure activities.

Pohorje is one of the largest dense wooded areas in Slovenia. Harsh conditions such as steep, gullied slopes, sunless sites, acidic soil and plenty of water keep the forest as the area’s major element. To gain new building sites, residents have shrunk the forest and formed the now characteristic landscape. Cumulus tops and gently sloping areas of crests have been shrunk for hay harvesting and pasture, making Pohorje today a direct reflection of the historical link between it and its residents. The locals have adjusted the area to what they needed and changed it over time, adjusting to new needs. In the past, the main environmental designers have been glassworkers, ironworkers, sawyers and herdsmen. When faced with a shortage of space, the people of Pohorje have been more careful entering this landscape and they themselves adapted to the land instead of vice versa. Even if there have been severe changes through time the marshes and peat beds still hold a piece of their original structure. Here, nature rules itself. Here, a man of thought would soon realize that not all things can be submitted to change.

Pohorje is a precious cultural and historical land, if not for its greatness, for its heritage and landscape preservation.

Everything leaves a mark on Pohorje.

Today, tourism and outdoor activities closely connected with nature are on the rise. Pohorje is therefore becoming an even more important tourist and recreational destination and has around one million tourists every year. According to Alpine Association of Slovenia, the Slovenian mountain transversal is most loaded with traffic precisely on Pohorje. This means humans disturb the otherwise peaceful and highly valuable natural environment. Unguided visits, unregulated traffic and lack of control, inadequate time and place, even illegal activities are just some of the disturbances caused by humans and leaving negative effects on the landscape.

Project area: The project activities are focused on the crest part – the ridge of Pohorje from the moors of Klopni vrh to ski slopes Kaštivnik under Mala Kopa. Individual activities will be carried out on 12 municipality areas, but two of them, Ribnica and Zreče, will be actively participating in SUPORTU as project partners.

Key area issues: turning grassy and swamp land into forests, inadequate measures for strengthening the biotopic role of protective forests, extensive grasslands and wetlands, unregulated outdoor activities in the natural reserve, poor landscape management – no control and no integrated management of the Natura 2000 Pohorje area.

Main project goal: More efficient management and situation monitoring of Natura 2000 areas.

During the project we would like: 

• To improve the condition of wetlands, grassy habitat types and protective forests inside the project areas.
• To gain information about the current condition and prevalence of the five bird species on Pohorje, to increase the target habitat type areas and target habitat species with proper management.
• To bring in line the interests on the project area.
• To establish a model of management system on areas with high biotopical value.
• To integrate ecological directions into strategic sector documents.