Natura 2000: success stories to learn from and further potential Bernard Gorsak Kozjanski Park, Slovenia Brussels, 28th November 2007 Programme's final.

Natura 2000: success stories to learn from and further potential

Bernard Gorsak Kozjanski Park, SloveniaBrussels, 28th November 2007

Programme's final conference

Natura 2000 Networking Programme

1 PREFACE2 BACKGROUND3 SUCCESS STORY4 CONCLUSION

CONTENT

1.1 Personal ID• Bernard Gorsak (39), environmentalist• Employee of Public Institution Kozjanski Park (9)

• Head of Nature Protection Department• Elaboration and execution of projects: Phare, Life, Interreg, Life+

• Cooperation with other competent authorities (Ministry, Institution of Nature Protection, Forest Management, Agriculture Advisory Service)

• Education, public awareness, media• Natura 2000 Ambassador

1.2 Our organization ID

• Public Institution• Governmental, non-profit• Staff: 18 (+ public workers + project coordinator)

• Budget: 500.000 €/year• Competence: manager of protected area

• Field of work: protection of natural and cultural heritage

• HQ: medieval town Podsreda

1.3 Protected area ID

• Regional Park, IUCN V• East of Slovenia, on border to Croatia

• Established: 1981 by Parliament of RS

• Size: 200 km2

• Population: 10.000 • 5 municipalities• Undeveloped • Lowest GDP in SLO

1.4 Natura 2000 in Slovenia

• Established: 05. 2004• Surface: over 35% of the country• Preparational phase: formation of so called “N2K Communicators Groups”; composed out of different experts (Forest Management, Agriculture Advisory Service, environmentalists, PAs managers ..)

• Structure: large part covered by forest• Management: where N2K proclaimed because of forest habitats or animals existing Forest Management Plans will be adopted as N2K MP (with some modifications)

• Challenge: where N2K situated in cultural landscape

1.5 Natura 2000 in Kozjanski Park

Surface: 67% of PAStructure: 1 SPA, 3 pSCI

SPA: 37 %SAC: 32%

Code: SI3000273 Orlica

Species: Lutra lutra, Rhinolophus hippoideros,

Austropotamobius torrentium, Morimus

funereus, Rosalia alpina, Lucanus

cervus

Habitats: Aremonio-Fagion, Luzulo-Fagetum,

Festuco-Brometalia (orchids)

Code: SI3000274 Bohor

Species: Buxbaumia viridis, Dicranum viride, Lutra lutra,

Austropotamobius torrentium, Morimus

funereus, Rosalia alpina, Lucanus

cervus, Cucujus cinnaberinus

Habitats: Aremonio-Fagion, Luzulo-Fagetum,

Festuco-Brometalia (orchids), Molinion caeruleae

SI5000022 Kozjansko - Dobrava - Jovsi ⇒ belovrati muhar (Ficedula albicollis) ⇒ bièja trstnica (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) ⇒ èrna storklja (Ciconia nigra) ⇒ kobilièar (Locustella naevia) ⇒ kosec (Crex crex) ⇒ pivka (Picus canus) ⇒ pogorelèek (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) ⇒ prepelica (Coturnix coturnix) ⇒ rjavi srakoper (Lanius collurio) ⇒ srednji detel (Dendrocopos medius) ⇒ vijeglavka (J ynx torquilla)

2.1 What is hiding behind BIG words, like:

INTEGRATIVE MANAGEMENT

PARTICIPATIVE MANAGEMENT

ADEPTIVE MANAGEMENT

STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVEMENT

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT

COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT

2.2 Maybe just “Common sense”

• Personal twist of mind - turning points:

– N2K Ambassador

• Shortest way is not (necessarily) the quickest nor the best

– My Belgian professor, true anecdote

– N2K Communicators Group

– Project experience (Interreg IIIA, collision with Local Community and Forest Management)

A

B

3.1 Framework NNi – resolutions reached on workshop in Austria

Apple Festival: Annual event of the year in KP (“hidden”agenda: promoting N2K)

Organizational frame: EUROPARC (major sponsor) + 2 PAs (Radensko Polje and Kozjanski Park)

Main aim: to involve all N2K stakeholders

Topic: “N2K - between hammer and anvil of development strategies”

3.2 Programme: PART ONEDate: Friday, 12. October 2007Venue: Podsreda, Kozjanski ParkSchedule: from 9,30 – 12,00 presentations:

M. Šolar (Triglav National Park): Europarc and NNI project

P. Skoberne (Ministry of Environment): Natura 2000 - updates

B. Wieser (N2K Austria): Experiences of Natura 2000 guardian in Austria

B. Grabrijan (ELO): To be owner and nature protectionist in Natura 2000

Participants: alltogether 47 (local municipalities, PAs, landowners, Agriculture Advisory Service, Forest Management, Ministry)

Friday, afternoon:• Transfer to the PA Radensko polje; case studies from other protected areas:– J. Dobravc (Triglav National Park), – A. Lenar (PA Logarska dolina), – L. Kebe (PA Notranjski park), – T. Mikuš (PA Radensko polje), – Guided field excursion to Radensko polje.

• Return to Kozjanski Park, supper, discussion

3.3 Programme: PART TWO

KOZJANSKI PARK

RADENSKO POLJE

3.4 Programme: PART THREE

Saturday, 13. October, forenoon:• Two examples of good practice; on-site presentation:

–Meadow orchards restoration project (Interreg III A)–Mountain dry grassland project (Life).

Case # 1: Meadow orchards restoration

Case #2: Mountain dry grassland management

3.5 Apple Festival

• Emphasis on stakeholders’ participation and next plans. Discussion, reviewing the experiences of last two days, lunch and visit of the Festival.

EXHIBITION OF TRADITIONAL FRUIT VARIETIES

OPENING

75 STALLS

EXHIBITION OF MUSHROOMS

TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFT

ENTERTAINMENT

GUESTS FROM CROATIA

LOCAL GROUPS

GAMES: “THE LONGEST PEEL”

TUG-OF-WAR

DISTILLERY

4 CONCLUSIONS

• Respons by almost all participants was nothing less but most positive

• Valuable lesson for each of us• It takes time: Our past, social environment (education, regime) and tradition was not in favour of open-minded and all-inclusive dialogue

• “Our patience will achieve more than our force” (E. Burke)

N2K

TREENURSERY

WORKSHOPS

NNi

APPLEFESTIVAL

NEXTPROJECTS

REJUVENATIONCUT

REGIONAL PRODUCTS

• Such occasions prove obstacles can be surmounted (just don’t expect to much to soon)

• Sustainability can stand only if no one will be excluded

• Doors are open

4 CONCLUSIONS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION