Conference proceedings - Zbornik Radova[1].pdf - Univerzitet u ...

interesting and endangered species [1]. With the secession from themunicipality Slovenska Bistrica in 2006 Poljčane became anindependent municipality, which in its development strategy puts amajor emphasis on preserving the natural environment [13].According to mayor of Poljčane Stanislav Kovačič his citizens havea privilege to live in intact, healthy and relatively clean environmentand they want to abandon it such well for their descendants and thatis why they put so much attention on raising the awareness ofvillagers on the importance of environmental protection. Residentsof Poljčane [1] have been aware of importance about theenvironmental protection at early age because there are series ofordinances and regulations relating to environmental protection bythe municipality during its historical development adopted. In theyear 1992 as a part of a single county Slovenska Bistrica theyadopted Ordinance declaring the natural heritage and immovablecultural and historical monuments in the municipality of SlovenskaBistrica [9] by being provided to maintain the natural heritage of themunicipality. It later expanded the ordinance to the Rules ofestablishing and protecting natural heritage [10] in which were allthe sights in the municipality were declared a natural heritage. TheRegulation on ecologically important areas [1] identified four areasas ecologically important sites in Poljčane which meet the criteria ofconservation of rare and endangered species and habitat types at thelevel of Slovenia. Upon entering the European Union in 2004,Regulation on special protection areas (Natura 2000) with 49.05%involved of the Poljčane area as an ecologically important sites thatare of utmost importance for the conservation of biological diversity,as well in Slovenian as on a European scale [14]. The area Poljčaneso defined four areas that are important for conservation and speciesof European plants, animals and habitats of birds. These areas are:Boč-Haloze-Donačka gora, Dravinja river by Poljčane, Ličenca byPoljčane and Dravinjska dolina for the conservation of birds speciesof Europe [1]. The tradition of high awareness of environmentalprotection in municipality Poljčane shows a different content in betson the theme of environment and protection of the naturalenvironment. Municipality cooperates with the Internationalecoremediation Centre in Maribor by the application in differentprojects to protect and safeguard the local environment. In themunicipality Poljčane took place The final conference of the project~ 276 ~