1. A brief insight into the governance of urban forests in Slovenia
Examples of Ljubljana and Celje
Andrej Verlič - Slovenian Forestry Institute / TISA d.o.o.; EMoNFUr Technical Coordinator for Slovenia
Rok Havliček – Slovenia Forest Service, Regional Unit Ljubljana; Member of EMoNFUr User Committee
MSc. Robert Hostnik – Slovenia Fores Service, Head of Local unit Celje; Member of EMoNFUr User Committee

2.  SOME INFORMATION ABOUT LJUBLJANA AND CELJE
 MAIN CONFLICTS IN URBAN FOREST
 RECENT ACTIVITIES IN URBAN FORESTRY IN LJUBLJANA & CELJE
 IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE
Author of the slide: A. Verlič
WE ARE PRESENTING…

3. Author of the slide: A. Verlič
5,5 km2
THE CITY OF LJUBLJANA
-
41 % FOREST COVER
AREA: 275 KM2
POPULATION: 280.140
EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL FINALIST
ljubljanskobarje.si

4. Ownership %
OWNERSHIP IN THE
CITY OF LJUBLJANA
Author of the slide: A. Verlič
2% 1%
7%
private
MOL
other
90%
state
PUBLIC
PRIVATE
BORDER
•
Min property 0,01 ha, max 26,78 ha
•
Avg private property in western part is just
0,36 ha
•
91 % of private owners in western part owns
less than 1 ha of forest
BOJAN ERHARTIČ
2011 ZRC SAZU

5. Author of the slide: A. Verlič
FORESTS OF SPECIAL PURPOSE (FSP) WITHIN
THE CITY OF LJUBLJANA (JUNE 2010)
NATURA 2000
PROTECTED AREAS IN
THE CITY OF LJUBLJANA

6. Legislation
-
Author of the slide: A. Verlič
Constitution of RS
Environmental Protection Act
Act on Forests
Nature Conservation Act
Spatial Planning Act
Spatial Management Act
Construction Act
Public Utilities Act
Rules on the forest management and silviculture
The City of Ljubljana Spatial Plan
Ordinance declaring Tivoli, Rožnik and Šiška hill for natural site of special interest
- Ordinance declaring Forests of Special Purpose in the City of Ljubljana (2010!)
-
Decree on maintenance of municipal Roads and Public Green Spaces
Decree on the prohibition of driving the vehicles in the natural environment
Policy
-
Resolution on National Forest Programme
National Environment Protection Action Programme
The City of Ljubljana Environmental Protection Program to 2013

7. URBANISM
Author of the slide: A. Verlič
LEGISLATION
RECREATION
‚stakeholders‘
PROFESSIONAL
CONTRACTORS
PRIVATE OWNERS

8. Author of the slide: A. Verlič
Celje
„Mestni gozd“
Municipality
of Ljubljana
PROFESSIONAL
CONTRACTORS
Conflicts in Urban
forest in Ljubljana
INSPIRATION
AWARNES
RAISING
BFUL, EFUF,
LITERATURE
Slovenian Forestry
Institute
YOUNG
RESEARCHER
ACTIVITIES
FUNDING
CO‐OPERATION
RESEARCH
MONITORING

9. Author of the slide: A. Verlič
Ordinance declaring Forests of Special Purpose in the City of Ljubljana (2010)
• Legal basis in the forest act
• Strongly emphasized health – hygiene role and the role of protecting natural
and cultural heritage
• In october 2003 the City of ljubljana blocked the decree from going into force
due to the lack of the budget for subsidies
• Forest management regime (legal basis are SFS forest management plans)
• Dedicated forest manager
• Who provides funds for costs deriving from adopted management and costs for
the infrastructure
• A forester in the city hall

10. Author of the slide: R. Havliček

11. Author of the slide: R. Havliček
Revision of the Ordinance declaring FSP in Ljubljana (2013 / 2014)
1. Distance from urban areas to the forest patch (EMoNFUr)
2. Forest structure
3. Preserved natural state of forest
4. Visiting
5. Conservation of lowland forest patches

12. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forests of Celje
Strategy plan 1996 - 2016
Protection by law. (done in 1997,
updated in 2007)
Improvement of ownership
structure. (ongoing from 1997)
Adapted forest management.
(ongoing from 1997)
Infrastructure development.
(ongoing from 2000)
Stabile financial source.
(yearly provided by Municipality
budget from 1997)
Public relations. (regularly)

13. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Improvement of ownership structure
New public urban forests in the area of Anski vrh were obtained by gradual acquisition of
privately-owned forests.
The share of urban forests owned by the municipality: 23% (1997) → 57% (2013).

14. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Infrastructure development.
New multi-puropse infrastructure and equipment for recreation and forest management.
14 kilometres of newly constructed roads and paths (2000 – 2007).

15. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Types of multi – purpose forest infrastructure.
Adapted Forest Road
paved
width: 2,5 - 3 m
multiple use
Skidding Trail
unpaved
width: up to 2,5 m
multiple use
Walking Path
(un)paved
width up to 1,2 m

16. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Infrastructure equipment.

17. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Adapted forest management.

18. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Education (1).
Regular excursions and with young people of local schools
(based on forest pedagogics approach).

19. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Education (2).
Guided forest walks with citizens and tourists.

20. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Education (3).
Events for professional public (excursions, conferences, workshops, lectures).

21. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Public relations
Public events, regular presence in local and national media, advertising, visual identity.

22. Author of the slide: R. Hostnik
Urban forest of Celje
Pilot projects
Situation
‐ Increased recreation and turism demands for urban forests
‐ High possibility of conflicts with owners and diffrent users
Design
‐ Two pilote areas in the City of Celje
‐ Potential walking paths and cycling forest tracks (with the total
length of 13.6 km)
‐ Detailed interviews with private owners with emphasis on
economic expectations:
1. Socio‐economic characteristics of forest owners
2. General perception of forest values
3. Relationship to its own forest and visitors
4. Willingness to accept the PES scheme (amount of
compensation that would satisfy the owner for allowing
for a recreational infrastructure in their forest)

23. Thank you for your attention!