COMENIUS PARTNERSHIPS

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Comenius 2008-2010: Living natural parks in Asturias and Slovenia

page 1 of 6

IES »La Quintana«, Ciaño de Langreo, Spain • Gimnazija Ledina, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The Notranjska Regional Park It is part of Cerknica municipality and extends over an area of 222km2. It was established in 2002 in order to preserve, keep and research various natural and cultural heritage values of this area. It is known for a very high level of natural habitats, various natural monuments, extreme diversity of living creatures, and on the other hand, a typical landscape, marked by high-quality interweaving of man and nature. It is famous for its ecological, biotic and landscape awareness.

COMENIUS PARTNERSHIPS

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Comenius 2008-2010: Living natural parks in Asturias and Slovenia

page 2 of 6

IES »La Quintana«, Ciaño de Langreo, Spain • Gimnazija Ledina, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Bloke – The Forgotten Plateau

In Notranjska region, there is something that remotely resembles Tibet. The high and windy plateau is located at the altitude from 720 to 800m and covers the area of 75m2.

Bloke is a plateau covering an area between the Ribnica Basin in the east, Cerknica hollow with the famous lake in the west, and dark and deep Snežnik woods in the south. The locals say, »The Devil himself will get hold of those who visit Bloke. You see, the wolf on Bloke has not eaten the winter so far. For six months, here we have winter; for another six months, here we have the cold«. These places are extremely beautiful, and yet very harsh to live in. The lowest temperature ever has been measured at Bloke, and that is -45 degrees Celsius. But life must go on, no matter what.

COMENIUS PARTNERSHIPS

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Comenius 2008-2010: Living natural parks in Asturias and Slovenia

page 3 of 6

IES »La Quintana«, Ciaño de Langreo, Spain • Gimnazija Ledina, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Once upon a time here lived Martin Krpan, a Slovene giant, who illegally smuggled English salt into the country.

When you are taking a walk along the swampy meadows next to the Bloščica, your shoes usually get wet. The Bloščica is a brook in Bloke, and Bloke is a part of the Notranjska region. Moor is what we call a big swamp. Some people find it totally useless, because nothing grows there: no corn, no potatoes, there are no sheep or cows grazing the meadows, no roads, no inns. Such people would rather see the moor dry up, so that they could build a few roads, factories, and holiday houses. But the truth is that a moor is a real treasury of plants and animals, as can rarely be found elsewhere.

Among animals, the large goldenring dragonfly - veliki studenčar (Cordulegaster heros) deserves to be mentioned, and seen, if possible. This is a local animal, the biggest dragonfly known in Europe. It typically appears in well-preserved forest streams in low hills. In Notranjska region it can be found in the swampy world of the Bloščica, which winds through such woods. Here live a great number of butterflies, for example the dusky

large blue (strašnični metulj) – living only near a plant called the great burnet (zdravilna strašnica).

COMENIUS PARTNERSHIPS

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Comenius 2008-2010: Living natural parks in Asturias and Slovenia

page 4 of 6

IES »La Quintana«, Ciaño de Langreo, Spain • Gimnazija Ledina, Ljubljana, Slovenia

But this area is not famous only for animals; there are also some very interesting plants to be found, since they are either endangered or very rare, not only in Slovenia but all around Europe.

One of them is the roundleaf sundew - okroglolistna rosika (drosera rotundifolia), which usually grows on higher terrains, approximately 10 cm above soil water. They can stand any heat, but they cannot survive without water. They feed themselves with mosquitoes all summers long; sometimes they even catch other small insects. It is considered a vulnerable species. The biggest danger for them is land reclamation.

A very important position in Notranjska region have two types of orchids: the fen orchid - loeselova grezovka (Liparis Loeseli) and (Spiranthes aestivalis) - summer ladies’ tresses – poletna škrbica.

The latter grows in swampy meadows and moors, and its only preserved sites are on the banks of the Bloščica. Due to the rarity of this species, the Bloke area is a member of the IPA project (Important Plant Areas).

The areas around winding streams in the Bloke plateau are occasionally or constantly flooded. In the areas of high subterranean waters low moors come into existence. The term 'low moors' has nothing to do with its altitude above sea level. It is a swamped land, full of typical plants. The plants of the low moors are in touch with the nutritious elements in the groundwater.

COMENIUS PARTNERSHIPS

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Comenius 2008-2010: Living natural parks in Asturias and Slovenia

page 5 of 6

IES »La Quintana«, Ciaño de Langreo, Spain • Gimnazija Ledina, Ljubljana, Slovenia

These are longbracted sedge - šaši and great fen sedge - ostričevke.

Where the land is acid and the pH values are from 5 to 6.5, there have, due to draining, grown alder woods or grassland.

COMENIUS PARTNERSHIPS

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Comenius 2008-2010: Living natural parks in Asturias and Slovenia

page 6 of 6

IES »La Quintana«, Ciaño de Langreo, Spain • Gimnazija Ledina, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The poorly permeable dolomite basis enables the surface upstream of various streams and brooks and swamping of the terrains around them.

All the waters of the Bloke plateau disappear upon entering the limestone basis. They are swallowed by the underground and reappear on the eastern ridge of the Cerknica Hollow, which we are going to visit later on. We are going to stop by the Bloščica, paddle in the water and gather some aquatic organisms, aqueous samples and soil samples to analyze in laboratories.