The Goričko landscape

In terms of its landscape Goričko is one of the richest and most diverse areas in Slovenia and Europe. The mosaic image of Goričko has changed significantly due to the intensification of farming on the one hand and the abandonment and overgrowing on the other. Over the past decades, much of the habitat of many endangered species has disappeared, meaning that the number of species living or feeding on extensive meadows and tall orchards has also dropped drastically.

With the aim of improving the living conditions of certain species and habitat types in unfavourable conservation status in the Natura 2000 Goričko area, the Goričko Nature Park Public Institute and partners prepared a successful project proposal Farmland Maintenance for Birds and Butterflies in Goričko and obtained EU funding. The main goal of the project is to preserve and improve the conditions and status of two bird species, namely scoops owl and woodlark, three butterfly species, namely scarce and dusky large blue and marsh fritillary, two beetle species, namely hermit beetle and cinnabar flat bark beetle, three bat species, namely greater mouse-eared bat, common bent-winged bat and lesser horse-shoe bat, and three grassland habitat types, namely semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates, molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils and lowland hay meadows. After all the measures and activities under the Goričko landscape project are implemented, the condition of three target habitat types and ten Natura 2000 species will be improved on 187 ha within the Natura 2000 site Goričko.

The project also resulted in improved communication with the local population and raised awareness of the importance of nature conservation and the fact that each individual and the community as a whole should make its contribution.

PHOTO: M. Podletnik

Additional information about the project