Birds need peace and quiet for successful nesting and wintering. Disturbances caused by visitors to the most sensitive area of the Lake include hiking, driving, boating, and hunting. To effectively prevent the disturbance of Ferruginous duck, Red-necked grebe, and other bird species characteristic of the intermittent lake it is crucial to analyse the types of disturbance, as well as areas and periods when individual bird species are most sensitive to disturbance. Based on these findings, we will determine appropriate types of individual quiet zones, their potential locations, and the optimal regime to prevent disturbance in each of them.
Status: Not due yet
Results:
Boating on the Lake Cerknica still poses a threat to the nesting water birds' wellbeing, It is particularly problematic during the dry season when it is practiced on the last remaining water bodies in the lake area. In the scope of this task, we will prepare a proposal for changes to current boating rules with specified areas of restrictions and participate in revising the ordinance on boating which will have to be approved by the Municipality of Cerknica. Furthermore, we will pay special attention to raising people's awareness of appropriate behaviour, namely, respecting the rules on boating. Since most of the boating rules violations arise from restrictions related to the water level of the lake and, consequently, misunderstanding of the boating restrictions, we will create an online interface showing the Web users where boating is allowed at the given moment. We will also install information boards explaining the boating regime in five locations at the lake.
Status: Not due yet
Results:
Hunting is also a threat to water birds' well-being, especially for wintering birds. Any unnatural disturbance during wintertime causes agitation, constant stress, or even consequent migration. Together with three local hunting societies, we will agree on the cancellation of hunting in the areas of quiet zones. ZRSVN will ensure the agreed quiet zones will be included in the operational program of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia »Natura 2000 Management Program«, which will be the basis for changes to hunting management plans.
Status: Not due yet
Results:
Increased and uncontrolled visitation in the main tourist season represents one of the major threats to rare and endangered water birds and birds tied to the habitat of the intermittent lake. To mitigate and prevent disturbances from visitors it is essential to limit access to the most sensitive areas of Lake Cerknica and redirect visitors to areas where their presence is less disruptive. Task T.5.4 is divided into several sub-tasks:
Unrestricted access of visitors to the central parts of the intermittent Lake Cerknica and its most important waterbird habitats is, besides boating, the biggest factor of disturbance to waterbirds. NRP will carry out the procedures necessary for the installation of traffic signs that prohibit driving at access points to the less sensitive areas, while access to the most sensitive areas will be completely cut off. For this purpose, NRP will prepare a detailed plan to restrict visitor access using traffic signs, physical barriers and information boards and will obtain all necessary consents and permits. Access will be allowed only to landowners for summer mowing and to fishermen and hunters for management purposes.
Status: Task in progress
Results:
The existing parking lot near the village of Gorenje Jezero often exceeds its capacity, increasing the pressure on the sensitive area of Lake Cerknica’s drying habitat. For this purpose, the NRP will along the Gorenje Jezero–Dane road establish a new, alternative parking lot that will be slightly set back from the lake itself. With the new location, we aim to reduce visitors’ pressure on the lake area and an important bird nesting site. Access to the new and existing parking lots will be appropriately equipped with directional signs and traffic signs. The new parking lot, equipped with an eco-friendly toilet, will be built on land belonging to the Agricultural Community of Gorenje Jezero, which will, after completion of the works, also take over its management.
Status: Task in progress
Results:
The Dolenje Jezero–Pretržje embankment is one of the main sources of disturbance to birds in the Lake Cerknica. Therefore, the NRP will limit motorized traffic in the central part of the intermittent lake. Driving will be allowed only for local residents (for access to the Otok village), agricultural machinery, fishermen, hunters, and in emergencies. NRP will prepare a traffic regime in cooperation with decision-makers. Twenty meetings with various stakeholders are planned, where the new traffic regime will be presented. A permit system will be established and traffic signage installed. The NRP will gradually introduce a closure – in the first year on weekends and holidays, and in three years the embankment will be closed all the time, except for those with permits.
Status: Task in progress
Results:
In addition to the complete road closure on the embankment (Dolenje Jezero–Pretržje), the NRP will also upgrade the electronic directing system for visitor flows to further reduce pressure on Lake Cerknica. The NRP will hire an external contractor to upgrade the existing website with a digital module for directing visitor flows. The module, with the help of data from visitor counters and traffic at entry points (Dolenje Jezero, Gorenje Jezero, Dolenja vas), will redirect visitors from the most congested areas to less visited natural points, also outside the lake area.
Status: Task in progress
Results:
We will ensure stricter park ranger control to ensure that the visitors will follow existing and revised rules on the lake. Our newly employed park ranger will make sure the visitors respect the traffic regime, access restrictions, boating rules, and restrictions in quiet zones. We will also place five cameras to record violations in the nighttime at the most sensitive parts of the intermittent lake.
Status: Task is in progress
Results:
The implementation of extensive nature conservation projects exceeds the financial capacity of the local community, therefore Notranjska Park regularly applies for projects with the possibility of co-financing by the European Union.
The implementation of large-scale conservation projects exceeds the financial capabilities of the local community, therefore Notranjska Park regularly applies for projects with the possibility of co-financing from the European Union.
