Guardian of Nature - voice of nature for...

Guardian of Nature – voice of nature for the common good of all of us.



On Wednesday, April 5, 2017, the Group of Non-Governmental Organisations for Sustainable Development, consisting of representatives of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, Fishing Association of Slovenia, Hunters' Association of Slovenia, Tourist Association of Slovenia, Beekeeping Association of Slovenia, and Cynological Association of Slovenia, publicly signed the Proposal for the Inclusion of the Nature Guardian in the Nature Conservation Act at a press conference at the headquarters of the Hunters' Association of Slovenia in Ljubljana. The Scout Association of Slovenia also participates in the group, which officially joined the Group of Non-Governmental Organisations for Sustainable Development with its signature at the press conference.



The Proposal for the Inclusion of the Nature Guardian in the Nature Conservation Act proposes to the Ministry for the Environment and Spatial Planning the establishment of the institute of the Nature Guardian, as representatives of the Group of Non-Governmental Organisations for Sustainable Development believe there is a need for an independent institute to protect the interests of nature as defined by existing legislation. Based on the legal basis provided by Article 159 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, the Group proposes the establishment of the institute of the Nature Guardian as an independent institute of the Environmental and Nature Guardian.



The President of the Hunters' Association of Slovenia, mag. Lado Bradač, introduced the activities of the group of non-governmental organisations for sustainable development, established in 2009 at the initiative of the Hunters' and Fishing Associations of Slovenia, later joined by the Alpine, Tourist, Beekeeping, and Cynological Associations of Slovenia, and today at the press conference officially also the Scout Association of Slovenia. The Group of Non-Governmental Organisations for Sustainable Development, with more than 200,000 members, has been cooperating in the field of sustainable development since 2011 and in joint efforts to protect and preserve biodiversity, which consequently also means preserving the natural composition of communities within these ecosystems.



The Proposal for the Inclusion of the Nature Guardian in the Nature Conservation Act was developed by the Alpine Association of Slovenia, and all organisations wish to specify through this initiative under what conditions and in what way every citizen in Slovenia can participate in hiking trips, beekeeping, hunting, and other activities in nature. This institute aims to establish the voice of nature, which cannot defend itself against all interventions and activities within it, while the Nature Guardian will also serve as a mirror for all organisations carrying out activities in the natural environment and will help in pointing out irregularities in nature and problems encountered in their activities.



"The initiative to shape the Nature Guardian, which we will sign and address to the Ministry for the Environment and Spatial Planning so that the Nature Conservation Act also includes the institute of the Nature Guardian, is the right path – similar solutions have been found abroad – to find someone who, on behalf of those who cannot care for their environment, i.e., the inhabitants of the forest, will ensure peace there and that we can all move freely through the forest and use it," emphasised mag. Lado Bradač, President of the Hunters' Association of Slovenia, who led the group until the end of March. "The Human Rights Ombudsman protects nature through the prism of the human right to a clean and healthy environment, unspoiled nature, including water, but we want to protect what is not protected – that is the animal that has the right to its living space. Through this prism, the idea of the Nature Guardian grew and developed," added the new chairman, dr. Miroslav Žaberl, President of the Fishing Association of Slovenia.



The President of the Fishing Association of Slovenia, dr. Miroslav Žaberl, invited the Secretary of the Scout Association of Slovenia, Matic Stergar, to have the Scout Association of Slovenia officially join the Group of Non-Governmental Organisations for Sustainable Development with a signature. This was followed by the public signing of the Proposal for the Inclusion of the Nature Guardian in the Nature Conservation Act by representatives of the member organisations of the Group of Non-Governmental Organisations for Sustainable Development.



Following the public signing of the Proposal for the Inclusion of the Nature Guardian in the Nature Conservation Act and the accession signature of the Scout Association of Slovenia, there was a short presentation of current topics by each of the member organisations of the Group of Non-Governmental Organisations for Sustainable Development.



Matej Planko, General Secretary of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, on behalf of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, which is actively involved in mountaineering and also touring cycling and therefore frequently encounters the Nature Conservation Act in its work, once again pointed out the problem of driving motor vehicles in the natural environment, as in October 2016 it addressed an initiative to the Ministry for the Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia, to which there has still been no response. The PZS supports in its position the retention of regulations where cycling on alpine trails is regulated in accordance with the Alpine Trails Act, points out the disproportionate regulation of fines for offences (Articles 161 and 161.a), which set lower fines for driving motor-powered vehicles than, for example, for cycling, and emphasises that more attention must be paid to supervising restrictions on driving in the natural environment, especially motor vehicle driving, as frequent violations occur.



The President of the Fishing Association of Slovenia, dr. Miroslav Žaberl, presented the demand of the RZS for the fastest possible long-term regulation of the cormorant fish problem, on which a session of the Agriculture Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia took place on 29 March, where the discussing MPs confirmed the need for appropriate regulation of the problem. Another pressing problem for fishermen is still the unresolved issue of double financial burden on individual fishing families – payment for carrying out fishing management (basic activity) and payment of water compensation for standing waters. This burden is too great for the RD, which are volunteer organisations. If no reasonable solution to the double payment appears, such a situation can lead to the abolition of individual RD, not due to poor water management, but due to bankruptcy.



Matic Stergar, Secretary of the Scout Association of Slovenia, announced the National Conference on Free Access to Nature. As he says, scouts have been living with nature and in nature for a century. It is their second home, their research laboratory and temple, the place where they spend most of their free time. In it, they fulfil their mission. What they take, they strive to return several times over. Even in 2017, they will not stop encouraging society to visit nature – they will continue their activities under the name Gremo v naravo! This time with encouragement for the start of a broader social campaign on the topic of free access to nature. They perceive trends that they believe are not leading in the right direction, so they want to contribute to changing the course of events in a way consistent with their values. For this purpose, they are planning the National Conference on Free Access to Nature, presumably in the first half of June 2017.



mag. Branislav Rajić, Vice-President of the Cynological Association of Slovenia, presented the Cynological Association of Slovenia, which unites 119 societies, clubs, and organisations, bringing together 10,000 dog owners with more than 18,000 dogs. As he says, care for purebred dog breeding is inseparably linked to care for the natural environment, as most joint human-dog activities take place in nature. Nature is the strongest planetary force, which, however, needs an advocate before modern man. Therefore, the KZS decided to join today's initiative because they believe that the Nature Conservation Act, although good, needs supplementation in terms of introducing the institute of the Nature Guardian and in the area of increasing penalties for polluting nature due to driving motor vehicles in the natural environment. He believes that careful handling of nature and in nature must also be strengthened in people's awareness, especially youth and those who feel and express special attachment to the natural environment. Cynologists certainly belong among them, who, among other things, strive for people with dogs to spend as much time as possible in nature and as little as possible on sofas.



Karmen Burger, General Secretary of the Tourist Association of Slovenia, presented the role of tourist societies in the development of tourism in the natural environment. As she says, presenting nature in the world and also in Slovenia is becoming an increasingly important activity, so the Tourist Association of Slovenia (TZS), together with the Slovenia Forest Service, Alpine Tourist Association of Slovenia, GIZ for hiking and cycling, and other stakeholders, developed a study on the development of thematic trails a few years ago. To improve the quality of life of Slovenia's inhabitants and tourists, contribute to sustainable development in an orderly and healthy environment, more effective promotion of the country and tourism, and contribute to the development of tourist and ecological awareness of people, the TZS is organising a competition for the best thematic trail in May under the slogan Moja dežela – lepa in gostoljubna 2017. The project encourages cooperation and connection of the population in protecting, preserving, and arranging natural values and cultural heritage with tourism. The project is an important component of comprehensive tourist destination management, as well as specialisation in green offer. Participants in the competition can be all thematic trails in Slovenia; cultural, ethnological, natural history, trails in protected areas, forest trails... Trails compete in impression and attractiveness, management and maintenance, guidance and offer, accessibility and safety, and message or interpretation of the individual trail. The three most beautifully arranged thematic trails will be awarded recognitions by the TZS at the solemn closing ceremony of Moja dežela lepa in gostoljubna, which will take place on 17 October in Kranjska Gora as part of the Slovenian Tourism Days event.



Boštjan Noč, President of the Beekeeping Association of Slovenia, presented the importance of preserving nectar-producing trees. As he says, the Beekeeping Association of Slovenia has always strived to preserve nature and biodiversity and thus bees. It pays special attention to promoting and planting autochthonous nectar-producing plants, especially tree species. It has been successfully cooperating with the Slovenia Forest Service for several years, and in April they will donate linden tree saplings of nectar-producing trees to all Slovenian primary schools and kindergartens together with them. In this way, they are already raising awareness among the young about the importance of preserving our natural landscape. Only by preserving bees and our natural environment can we ensure a clean, healthy, and green future.



mag. Lado Bradač, President of the Hunters' Association of Slovenia, in view of the current breakdown of this year's plans, which for the second year in a row foresee drastic increases in the take of certain game species, especially red deer, pointed out the unprofessional bases in adopting the annual hunting management plans for this year and the long-term consequences of the envisaged increased shooting of red deer, which can have irreparable consequences for the red deer population. This year's increase is justified primarily on the basis of the inventory of browsing of tree species saplings carried out in 2014. Without going into the inconsistencies in the implementation and interpretation of the research results, it is a fact that since then the forests have literally been reshaped by glaze ice and bark beetle, but this is not taken into account at all in the draft takes. The envisaged increase in the planned shooting of the breeding part of the population would therefore mean a rapid and deep intervention, after which the red deer would not recover for many years.



Those present at the press conference were dr. Miroslav Žaberl, President of the Fishing Association of Slovenia, mag. Branislav Rajić, Vice-President of the Cynological Association of Slovenia, Boštjan Noč, President of the Beekeeping Association of Slovenia, Matej Planko, General Secretary of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, Karmen Burger, General Secretary of the Tourist Association of Slovenia, Matic Stergar, Secretary of the Scout Association of Slovenia, and mag. Lado Bradač, President of the Hunters' Association of Slovenia.