Destination Jeruzalem Slovenia is strategically committed to sustainable, socially and economically responsible development. We try to contribute to nature conservation in several areas. The Ormož basins nature reserve is one of the few, but the best examples of nature conservation in our destination and the study example HOW A DEGRADED INDUSTRIAL AREA BECAME A NATURAL RESERVE. The Ormož basins nature reserve is a 55-hectare wetland of anthropogenic origin, located in the Drava river ecosystem along lake Ormož. It consists of shallow pools with reeds and stands of hornbeam, and is surrounded by a floodplain forest, a rememnant of a softwood river arc in Slovenia. The wetland is of outstanding national and international importance for many threatened bird species. The area is an important breeding site for waterbirds and a key stopover for migratory birds in Slovenia. The number of birds in a migratory season can reach tens of thousands. It is a remarkable example of a decades-long cooperation between industry (Ormož Sugar Factory) and a nature conservation organisation (the Association for Birdwatching and Bird Studies of Slovenia – DOPPS). It’s an exemplary and instructive demonstration of modern nature conservation practice, how natural and industrial cultural heritage can be protected.
Keywords: natural conservation; nature lovers; birdwatching community; cultural heritage; education & research; nature based tourism
