At the beginning of the flowering of colorful alpine flowers in Triglav National Park (TNP), we call for responsible behavior. Especially endangered species require our special attention and protection.
The nature of Slovenia's only national park is known for its exceptional biodiversity. Among ferns and flowering plants alone, more than 60 percent of the entire Slovenian flora grows in this area. Among them, several hundred species are recognized as endangered, and their survival depends on the preservation of the natural environment and respect for protection rules.
Lady's slipper: European orchid on the brink of survival
Special attention this season is given to the lady's slipper (Cypripedium calceolus), the largest wild-growing orchid in Europe. Although it ranges from Europe to Central Asia, its numbers are declining sharply; in some countries, such as Greece, the species has already gone extinct.
In Slovenia, the lady's slipper grows mainly in beech forests, on edges and in the dwarf pine zone. According to estimates by the expert service of the Triglav National Park Public Institute (JZ TNP), we have as much as one fifth of the entire Slovenian population in the national park area. Since the habitats are included in the Natura 2000 ecological network, the long-term conservation of this species is a priority for the park manager.
Threat factors and inadmissible actions
The lady's slipper has been strictly protected in Slovenia for more than 100 years (since 1922). Nevertheless, inadmissible actions are still occasionally encountered in the field. In addition to fertilization and improper forest management, the species is directly threatened by mass visits to habitats, picking of flowering shoots, digging up and removal of plants from the natural environment.
During the flowering period, enhanced nature conservation supervision will be carried out in some places. Visitors are warned that all violations will be dealt with as strictly as possible. Such acts in the national park area may also be treated as criminal offenses. Consistent action will apply both to the lady's slipper and to all other protected wild plant species.
We believe that visitors are aware of the conservation importance of these natural treasures and will admire the habitats with due responsibility so that future generations can also observe them.
Source:
https://www.tnp.si/sl/javni-zavod/medijsko-sredisce/novice/novica/394/poziv-k-odgovornemu-obcudovanju-alpskega-cvetja-v-tnp.html