In the preparatory phase, we met in consultations and jointly considered the planning of the Snežnik Regional Park. Based on your proposals and expert justifications, the Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica prepared a draft Decree on the Snežnik Regional Park.

We included in the proposed Decree on the Snežnik Regional Park the initiatives of residents that were in the public interest and that could be professionally justified.

From 10 March 2026 to 10 May 2026, the official public presentation and public hearing are taking place.

JP-okvircek

The text of the draft Decree on the Snežnik Regional Park, including the cartographic section, is during this period publicly available at the premises of the Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica, Bazoviška cesta 14, 6250 Ilirska Bistrica, in the reception office on the ground floor (during the business hours of the municipal administration).. The text of the Draft Decree is also published electronically on the website of the Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica, on the Snežnik Regional Park subpage. – at the bottom of this webpage ⇓.

The electronic presentation also enables viewing of the cartographic part of the materials down to the parcel level on the online GIS portal of the Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica — the layer is located under the content or in the folder “MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION.”

 

Comments can be submitted until 10 May 2026 in writing at the locations of the public presentation and public hearing by entering them in the book of comments, or they can be sent in writing to the following address: Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica, Bazoviška cesta 14, 6250 Ilirska Bistrica, or sent by email to: obcina.ilirska-bistrica@ilirska-bistrica.si, indicating in the “Subject” field: “Snežnik Regional Park – public hearing.”

Comments must be submitted using the provided form — printed forms are available at the Municipality, and the form is also published electronically among the materials at the bottom of this webpage ⇓.

In the “ADDITIONAL MATERIALS” folder, the Concept of the Snežnik Regional Park is also published, providing more detailed information about the park. Additionally, this week, under the additional materials, the Stakeholder Engagement Report will be published, containing answers to all questions received during the so-called preparatory phase.

After the conclusion of the public presentation, we will prepare a substantively and legally harmonized draft act for the protection of the Snežnik Regional Park, which will be submitted for consideration to the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica, tentatively in June 2026.

Key Highlights of the Draft Decree on the Snežnik Regional Park – Draft Management Areas

The main guiding principles in designing the park are to preserve nature, maintain and promote environmentally friendly and sustainable management, protect natural areas and agricultural land by directing tourism and recreational activities, traffic, infrastructure, and construction.

Taking into account the existing legislation, the proposed protection regimes and protection and development guidelines are locally adapted to the actual needs of the area. Management is planned in the following sectors: general, forestry and hunting, agriculture, tourism and recreational activities, traffic, and infrastructure and construction.

 

Draft Boundary and Proposal of Two Protection Zones

We aim to include in the park a wider area of Snežnik, mostly the uninhabited part of the municipality Our proposal is, that the wider village areas on the edge of the park are not included in the park. The park primarily connects existing protections within the Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica and we propose two protection zones – the entire park area would constitute a zone with a general protection regime. The protection zone with a stricter protection regime – the first protection zone – would cover areas where existing natural values overlap with existing forest reserves in the areas of Snežnik, Goljak, Obramec, and Zatreb-Planinca.

The basis for the boundary alignment originates from the coordination process of expert materials by the Slovenian Environment Agency (Zavod RS za varstvo narave), followed by extensive coordination with expert institutions, local residents, and other stakeholders.

The proposed boundary in the initial draft primarily connected existing protected areas, mainly following the boundaries of Natura 2000 sites. During the extensive consultations, we received suggestions both to reduce and to expand the park area. Based on residents’ proposals, we added an additional setback from settlements to the draft Decree on the park’s establishment and excluded to a greater extent the best agricultural land at the park’s edges (especially those near settlements). The area of the proposed park is still designed to spatially connect with the neighboring protected area – the Pivka Intermittent Lakes Landscape Park.

Draft Restrictions in the Park

In the park, it will be possible to carry out all activities already permitted under existing legislation. The park will not interfere with forestry or agriculture. However, the park will guide traffic, visitors, and recreational activities in cooperation with landowners and residents.

1. Forestry management will continue as before – no additional permits will be required.
2. In the park, it will be possible to farm as before in accordance with existing legislation, regardless of the size of the farm (large, medium, small). Following consultations with farmers, it was decided that the park will not regulate fertilization, as this is already governed by various rules in agricultural policy. Likewise, the park will not regulate agromelioration, as these are already sufficiently addressed in existing legislation. However, after permanent abandonment of pasture or arable land (more than 5 years), it will be necessary to remove fence sections that are not made of biodegradable materials.
3. In the park, it will be possible to build in accordance with existing legislation and the municipal spatial plan.
4. All landowners will have free access to their properties – as before. However, the park will manage parking areas and direct visitors to locations where parking is permitted.
5. Public (large-scale) events, which already require notification under current legislation, will continue to be allowed in the park – however, it will also be necessary to obtain the park manager’s permit
6. The maintenance of launch sites for paragliders will be allowed, but they must be registered in accordance with applicable legislation.
7. Drone use will be restricted, except when intended for public services such as nature conservation, agriculture, forestry, hunting supervision, meteorological services, maintenance work on mountain huts, and geodetic surveying. With the park manager’s consent, it will also be permitted to carry out film, video, documentary filming, and photography in the regional park.