ZGORNJA IDRIJCA LANDSCAPE PARK

Situated in the upper part of the Idrijca River Valley, the Zgornja Idrijca Landscape Park offers its visitors a unique experience of intact nature. It is a world of secluded paths, wild ravines, lush forests, and a rich technical heritage. The steep slopes of the deeply incised ravines are the habitat of rare and endangered animals and plants.

The varied terrain carved out by the Idrijca and Belca rivers and their tributaries reveals gorges, geological cross-sections, numerous waterfalls, picturesque pools, and water springs. The rich geological structure with numerous karst phenomena and the interweaving of the Mediterranean and Alpine climates contribute to the high diversity of flora and fauna.

In the past, the extensive forests produced an important raw material and energy source for the operation of the mine; today, they play an economic, biotopic, and protective role. They are the habitats of numerous plant species, among which there are many botanical peculiarities. Particularly noteworthy is Hladnikia pastinacifolia – paleoendemit which grows only on 4 km² in the Trnovo forest and nowhere else in the world, and three species of primulas: endemic Primula carniolica, Primula auricula, and their hybrid, Primula x venusta. Many other protected species also thrive here, such as the lady’s-slipper orchid, the flower of the sweet-lady, holly, the Carniolan lily, the Bertoloni columbine, the round-leaved sundew, and yew.

The park is also home to many endangered animal species and all three large carnivorans: bear, lynx, and wolf.

The mighty klavže water barriers on the Idrijca and Belca rivers, the Kamšt and Rake water canal, the Feldban narrow-gauge military railway, and the Slovenian Military Partisan Hospital Pavla are just some of the sights from the area’s rich technical heritage.

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