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Attitudes of farmers towards nature conservation in selected areas of dry grasslands in Eastern Slovenia
Abstract
Gorjanci, Haloze, Kum and Pohorje are four Slovenian areas in which the Natura 2000 
network seeks to preserve important European habitat types of grasslands along with 
their species. Th is article presents a survey of attitudes towards nature conservation 
and Natura 2000 sites among farmers who in the period 2015–2020 actively partici-
pated in a LIFE project aimed at the management and conservation of dry grasslands. 
Compared to other residents of Slovenia, the farmers participating in the project are 
more aware of Natura 2000 sites and have a more positive attitude towards them. 
As a result of the project, a signifi cant share of farmers changed their views on the 
importance of preserving species-rich grasslands (58%) and on agricultural practices 
carried out in them (43%).
Keywords: Natura 2000, dry grasslands, agriculture, raising awareness, regional de-
velopment, Slovenia
Izvirni znanstveni članek
COBISS 1.01
DOI: 10.4312/dela.56.157-174
ATTITUDES OF FARMERS TOWARDS 
NATURE CONSERVATION IN SELECTED 
AREAS OF DRY GRASSLANDS IN 
EASTERN SLOVENIA
Katja Vintar Mally*, Nejc Bobovnik*, 
Barbara Lampič*, Simon Kušar*
*University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Geography, Aškerčeva 2, SI-
1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
e-mail: katja.vintarmally@ff .uni-lj.si; nejc.bobovnik@ff .uni-lj.si; barbara.lampic@
ff .uni-lj.si; simon.kusar@ff .uni-lj.si
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ODNOS KMETOV DO VARSTVA NARAVE NA IZBRANIH 
OBMOČJIH SUHIH TRAVIŠČ V VZHODNI SLOVENIJI
Izvleček
Gorjanci, Haloze, Kum in Pohorje so štiri slovenska območja, na katerih se v okviru 
omrežja Natura 2000 skuša ohranjati evropsko pomembne habitatne tipe travišč ter 
njihove rastlinske in živalske vrste. Članek predstavlja rezultate anketiranja o odnosu 
do varstva narave in območij Natura 2000 med kmeti, ki so na teh območjih v obdob-
ju 2015–2020 aktivno sodelovali v LIFE projektu, namenjenem upravljanju in ohra-
njanju suhih travišč. V primerjavi z drugimi prebivalci Slovenije so v projektu sode-
lujoči kmetje bolj ozaveščeni o Natura 2000 območjih in imajo do njih bolj pozitiven 
odnos, zaradi projekta pa je pomemben delež kmetov spremenil pogled na pomen 
ohranjanja vrstno pestrih travišč (58 %) oziroma na kmetijske prakse na njih (43 %).
Ključne besede: Natura 2000, suha travišča, kmetijstvo, ozaveščenost, regionalni ra-
zvoj, Slovenija
1 INTRODUCTION
This article presents the results of a survey of attitudes towards nature conservation 
and Natura 2000 sites among local farmers who previously participated actively in the 
LIFE project aimed at preserving dry grasslands in four Natura 2000 sites in Eastern 
Slovenia. In the survey we attempted to ascertain the extent to which the project in-
fluenced changes in farmers’ attitudes towards dry grasslands and farming on them, 
and their opinion of Natura 2000 was further compared with the results of Slovenian 
public opinion polls. A positive attitude of the local population is crucial for the suc-
cessful management of protected areas. Therefore, it is useful to evaluate the scope 
and approaches of nature conservation projects in this regard.
In the selected Natura 2000 areas – Haloze, Pohorje, Kum and Gorjanci – in the 
period 2015–2020 the LIFE project Conservation and management of dry grasslands 
in Eastern Slovenia (Life to Grasslands) took place with the aim of long-term conser-
vation of selected important European habitat types of grasslands and the plant and 
animal species dependent on them. The primary criterion for the selection of project 
areas was therefore the presence of dry grasslands, and in order to determine the 
results of the project, a study of the broader impacts of project activities, particularly 
their socioeconomic aspects, on the local population and economy was conducted. 
Part of this study also focused on identifying the positive and negative impacts of the 
project on farms that were involved in carrying out specific project activities. To this 
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end they were surveyed in the final, fifth year of the project not only regarding their 
experience related to project participation, but also regarding their attitude towards 
nature conservation.
The successfully implemented LIFE project was also the basis for the establishment 
of a new agriculture, environment and climate payments intervention (conservation 
of dry grasslands) (MKGP, 2021), which will include all four selected Natura 2000 
sites in the next programming period.
Although the Life to Grasslands project was primarily focused on nature conserva-
tion campaigns, an important part of the project partners’ activities was also related 
to education and raising awareness of the local population about the importance of 
dry grasslands, Natura 2000 sites and nature conservation more generally. Our study 
is therefore based on the assumption that participating farmers in the project for 
conservation and management of dry grasslands show a higher level of awareness of 
Natura 2000 sites and have a more positive attitude towards them compared to other 
residents of Slovenia.
2 THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK  
   OF THE STUDY
The project and the study took place in four areas in the eastern part of Slovenia that 
are home to important European habitat types of dry grasslands, which are protected 
in the European Union under Natura 2000. Natura 2000 is the largest network of pro-
tected areas in the world, whose aim is the protection of rare and endangered species as 
well as habitats and their long-term conservation, but which does not exclude human 
activities within them (The European environment…, 2019). There are a total of 355 
Natura 2000 sites in Slovenia, covering 7,682 km2 or 37.9% of the country’s territory, 
the highest share in the European Union countries, where Natura 2000 averages 18.5% 
of a country’s territory (EEA, 2021). In the areas of Haloze, Kum and Gorjanci, the 
habitat type 6230 – Species-rich Nardus grasslands is protected under Natura 2000, 
and in Pohorje the habitat type 6210 – Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland fa-
cies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia). The presence of both important 
European habitat types is linked to extensive agriculture or grazing and is threatened 
on the one hand by intensification of agriculture (increased input of nutrients, mow-
ing that is too frequent, additional sowing of mixed grasses, overgrazing, introduction 
of invasive species) or land use change (plowing of fields, construction of tourist and 
other infrastructure), and on the other hand due to the abandonment of meadows 
and pastures that used to be regularly mown or grazed, resulting in the land becom-
ing overgrown (Calaciura, Spinelli, 2008; Debeljak et al., 2020; Galvánek, Janák, 2008). 
Fragmentation of grasslands hinders pollination as well as seed dispersal and cross-
fertilization (Peterken, 2013), while intensification of agriculture leads to erosion of 
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farmers’ knowledge about their grasslands. Mowing, hay spreading, turning and rak-
ing have recently become fully mechanized (Zwitter, Rasran, 2022). Close observation 
of grasslands during the growing season greatly improves farmers’ understanding of 
grassland ecology, but young farmers have lost touch with grasslands and the changes 
caused by intensification are no longer properly perceived (Zwitter, Rasran, 2022).
In Slovenia, each habitat type (6230 and 6210) is present in less than 2% of Natura 
2000 sites, and grasslands occur mostly in higher lying areas, on diverse soils that are 
poor in nutrients and have developed on siliceous or calcareous rocks. In addition 
to maintaining biodiversity (herbs, orchids, butterflies, birds, grazing animals, etc.), 
grassland conservation is also important for erosion prevention, runoff regulation 
and many other ecosystem services (Calaciura, Spinelli, 2008; Debeljak et al., 2020; 
Galvánek, Janák, 2008). (Late) mowing and extensive grazing are recommended for 
the conservation of dry grasslands in Slovenia, but threats must also be prevented, 
among which intensive use, eutrophication, abandonment of grasslands and high-
trunk orchards, overgrowth, fragmented ownership, erosion, pressures from other 
economic activities, and aging of the local population and its low level of environ-
mental awareness have been identified (Debeljak et al., 2020; Life Conservation…, 
2021). In general, grassland habitat types are among those in the worst condition in 
Slovenia. In 2019, according to experts, only 27% of grassland habitat types had a 
favorable conservation status (Petkovšek, 2020).
As part of the Life to Grasslands project, efforts are being made to establish a fa-
vorable condition and preserve selected dry grasslands, as well as convince farmers 
that farming and ensuring food security are possible while still protecting nature, for 
which cooperation between experts and local residents is essential (IRSNC, 2020). 
The Slovenian local population in protected areas usually perceives nature protection 
as a development barrier and not as an opportunity, and for the most part declines 
to play an active role in the development of their areas (Lampič, Mrak, 2007; Lampič, 
Mrak, 2008; Rodela, Torkar, 2011). However, an attractive landscape, which is shaped 
significantly by among other things the presence of species-rich grasslands, is a key 
factor in the choice of holiday location (Potočnik Slavič et al., 2016). Studies in other 
countries also show that environmental awareness does not always lead to active par-
ticipation in solving environmental problems in protected areas (Dimitrakopoulos et 
al., 2010), so efforts are being made to increase the involvement of diverse stakehold-
ers in the planning and management of protected areas, from experts in various fields 
to landowners, businesses, and entire local communities (Chan et al., 2007; Kam-
phorst et al., 2017; Magda et al., 2015; Pietrzyk-Kaszyńska et al., 2012). A positive 
attitude of the population is key to the successful functioning of nature conservation 
areas and can promote protection and sustainable management activities (Brankov et 
al., 2019). The most important precondition was the belief of the local population that 
living in a nature conservation area adds to the quality of life and that the activities 
have financial support (Nastran, Černič Istenič, 2015; Šorgo et al., 2016).
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Table 1: Basic characteristics of project areas and farms surveyed.
Number 
of settle-
ments
Area
(km2)
Population, 
2020
Number of 
farms in the 
project
Surveyed farms
number share
Gorjanci 27 75.9 3,829 18 12 66.7
Haloze 83 276.2 12,527 100 67 67.0
Kum 21 75.6 4,372 30 20 66.7
Pohorje 10 198.5 3,506 13 8 61.5
Total 141 626.2 24,234 161 107 66.5
Sources of data: SURS, 2020; Vintar Mally et al., 2020.
The areas in which the project activities took place included 141 settlements with a 
total area of 626.2 km2 and 24,234 inhabitants (Table 1). In terms of area as well as in 
terms of population, the largest project area was Haloze (Figure 1). In this Pannonian 
region, low tertiary hills predominate, but the relief is extremely varied, so steeper 
slopes, especially in the western part, are an important limiting factor for agriculture. 
The eastern part of Haloze has traditionally been more oriented towards viticulture, 
while the higher and steeper western part has remained predominantly forested (Pak, 
2012). Of all the project areas, Haloze has the largest share of overgrown agricultural 
land. As a result of this process, land use has changed significantly in recent decades 
and now more than half of the project area is covered by forests and about a quarter 
by grassland, while permanent crops (vineyards and orchards) cover only about 5% 
(MGKP, 2016). The project also included the central part of Gorjanci, a plateau and 
the easternmost Slovenian Dinaric Karst region (Perko, 1999). The central part of 
Gorjanci studied is relatively sparsely populated, and the area has greater than av-
erage forest cover for Slovenian conditions (with forest covering about two-thirds 
of the area). Among agricultural areas, meadows predominate (around 17%), while 
fields and gardens account for less than 6%, and permanent crops around 5% (MGKP, 
2016). The smallest area included is Kum, which is also the most densely populated. 
Kum is a Prealpine region, dominated by forest (71% of the area), amidst which sparse 
settlement consisting of isolated farms and hamlets has been preserved in the cleared 
areas. The surrounding valleys are significantly more attractive for settlement and the 
economy. Most of the area is karstic, so the central areas of Kum have no surface river 
network, and meadows predominate among agricultural land (ARSO, 2020; MGKP, 
2016). The fourth project area covered only the western part of the Slovenian Pre-
alpine region of Pohorje. It is the least populated (under 18 inhabitants per km2), 
and large swathes lie above 1000 meters in elevation, which significantly affects the 
conditions for agriculture, since highland climate features predominate in the high-
est places. The most common form of settlement in the area is dispersed settlements 
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and isolated farms (ARSO, 2020; Žiberna, 1999), and as much as 86% of the area is 
covered by forest, with occasional grassland areas scattered within (10% of the area) 
(MGKP, 2016).
Figure 1: Project areas and survey response of farms.
In all four project areas (hereinafter referred to as Haloze, Pohorje, Kum and Gor-
janci for those parts of the Slovenian regions of the same name that were included 
in the project), we conducted a survey among all farms whose land was involved in 
the activities of the Life to Grasslands project over the previous four and a half years. 
Activities for the conservation of dry grasslands that took place on the land holdings 
of the participating farmers included removing overgrowth, preparing new mead-
ows and pastures for extensive use, restoring or rejuvenating high-trunk orchards and 
similar. Local farmers and residents were thus not only exposed to education and 
awareness raising but were also actively involved in the project with their land and 
labor, and in return the project financed the purchase of agricultural equipment for 
their use and the assistance of third parties (e.g. for clearing brush from land) (Debel-
jak et al., 2020). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the originally planned field survey 
was conducted entirely by telephone in the second half of May and the first half of 
June 2020, by a single interviewer, in order to ensure maximum uniformity in asking 
questions and comparability of answers.
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We invited all 161 farms who were actively involved in the project and for whom 
we had contact information to participate in the survey. Two-thirds of them, or 107 
farms, agreed to take part, on whose behalf the farmers themselves (74.8%) or their 
closest family members who were familiar with the project activities responded (Table 
1). Haloze has the greatest influence on the overall results, as more than 60% of farms 
that participated in the project and the survey are from this area. All farms surveyed 
had land included in the project in one of the project areas, although the location of 
the respondent’s residence and farm address may be outside the area (Figure 1). Due 
to the high response rate, the sample is representative of the entire set of farms that 
participated in the project.
In addition to the attitude towards nature conservation and Natura 2000 sites, the 
survey also determined the degree of satisfaction with participation in the project and 
perception of the socioeconomic and environmental effects of project activities. This 
article does not give particular attention to the broader topic of the socioeconomic 
effects of the project, though it should be noted that these effects can also have a 
significant impact on the attitude of residents. In this particular case, we primarily 
investigated changes in farmers’ views on the importance of preserving species-rich 
grasslands and their farming methods as well as respondents’ views of Natura 2000. 
Two survey questions were identical to those in a national public opinion poll on 
Natura 2000 in Slovenia (Raziskava…, 2019), which enables a direct comparison of 
the results of both surveys. Although numerous studies on nature protection areas 
have been published, we found almost none that allowed direct comparison of results, 
while comparisons with national surveys in Slovenia are also limited by the fact that 
their results are not reported at the level of regions or smaller areas.
The majority of respondents were men (74.8%), as heads of the agricultural hold-
ings were predominantly male. It is important to note that the respondents are a soci-
oeconomically diverse group. They include elderly farmers, new entrants to farming, 
subsistence farmers, farmers with registered supplementary activities, organic farm-
ers and also those who are not interested in switching to organic farming at all.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The Life to Grasslands project took place in existing Natura 2000 areas in which the 
farmers surveyed cultivate at least part of their agricultural land. In the introductory 
question, we were therefore interested in whether respondents had already heard of 
Natura 2000. Of the 107 respondents, 95.3% stated that they had heard of it; only 
four respondents in Haloze and one in Kum answered in the negative. These results 
are extremely favorable, especially in comparison with the national public opinion 
survey (Raziskava…, 2019), according to which fewer than two-thirds of respondents 
(63.7%) knew of Natura 2000 in Slovenia. Given the intensive cooperation of project 
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partners with local farmers, we can assume that project activities contributed signifi -
cantly to the familiarity of the surveyed farmers with Natura 2000. Th e project also 
changed the views of most participating farmers regarding the importance of preserv-
ing species-rich grasslands.
Out of a total of 107 respondents, 58% stated that they now have a diff erent view of 
the importance of preserving species-rich grasslands as a result of the Life to Grass-
lands project (Figure 2). In Kum, as many as 80% were convinced of this, while in 
Gorjanci this fi gure was 42%, the lowest. In explaining how their opinion had actually 
changed, they most oft en highlighted the knowledge gained and increased aware-
ness of the importance of plant species in grasslands (25 statements), the importance 
of grassland diversity (22) and the maintenance of dry meadows (13). Th ey empha-
sized the importance of later mowing for dry grasslands so that the grass matures 
and produces seeds, as well as the importance of preventing overgrowth and pre-
serving grasslands. Th e results indicate the strong role of raising the awareness of 
the local population regarding biodiversity and the importance of preserving it even 
in the case of a rural population traditionally engaged in agriculture, who would be 
expected to be highly aware of good agricultural practices, adapted to specifi c local 
conditions, through their contact with nature. Although respondents value the newly 
acquired knowledge, they are much less convinced that this will aff ect their farming 
methods. Only 43% of respondents reported an impact of the project on changing 
their views on dry grassland farming in their cultivation practices. Th e highest share 
was recorded in Gorjanci (58%) and the lowest in Pohorje (38%). When questioned 
further about how this diff erent view of farming on dry grasslands is refl ected in their 
practices, respondents most oft en highlighted methods of grazing, where they de-
layed the start and are also careful to limit the number of animals in a pasture so as 
to avoid overgrazing. Th ey prefer grazing to mowing. Where grasslands are mown, 
the project infl uenced their decision to delay the start of mowing, which allows the 
grasses to be successfully propagated beforehand and the grasslands to be preserved. 
Individual farmers also cited caring for orchards and greater care for grassland in 
mechanized land cultivation.
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Figure 2: Changes in the views of farmers on the importance of preserving species­rich 
grasslands and farming on dry grasslands due to participation in the project.
Source of data: Survey, 2020.
Note: Farming question: Do you have a different view of farming on dry grasslands as a result 
of the Life to Grasslands project? Grasslands question: Do you have a different view of the 
importance of preserving species­rich grasslands as a result of the Life to Grasslands project?
Around 78% of respondents were satisfi ed with the project, and almost three quarters 
(72%) agreed with the statement that they would like to participate in such a project in 
the future. Despite the relatively high level of support for project activities, three-quar-
ters of respondents nevertheless did not agree with the statement that as a result of the 
project they are more interested in sustainable agricultural practices and organic farm-
ing. A low level of agreement was characteristic of all project areas. For the time being, 
farms that would be willing to switch to organic production can only be found among 
the 18% of respondents who as a result of the project have also become more interested 
in organic farming and sustainable farming practices. Th e results show a relatively high 
degree of reluctance among farmers to transfer theoretically acquired knowledge into 
their own practices or make a longer commitment to new practices, which was also 
found in some cases in other countries (Dimitrakopoulos et al., 2010).
Next, among respondents who confi rmed that they knew about Natura 2000 we 
tried to determine their attitudes towards it and their familiarity with management 
options in Natura 2000 areas by presenting them with fi ve diff erent statements and 
asking whether they agreed with them. Four statements were the same as in the na-
tional opinion poll, only the statement on pride in living in a Natura 2000 area was 
adapted to project areas, as these are already part of Natura 2000.
Figure 2
Yes No
Gorjanci - grasslands 5 7
Gorjanci - farming 7 5
Haloze - grasslands 38 29
Haloze - farming 29 38
Kum - grasslands 16 4
Kum - farming 8 12
Pohorje - grasslands 6 2
Pohorje - farming 3 5
Project area - grasslands 62 45
Project area - farming 47 60
Figure 3
Statement Agree Disagree Don't know
1 90 6 6
2 49 30 23
3 79 4 19
4 87 6 9
5 32 61 9
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Gorjanci - grasslands
Gorjanci - farming
Haloze - grasslands
Haloze - farming
Kum - grasslands
Kum - farming
Pohorje - grasslands
Pohorje - farming
Project area - grasslands
Project area - farming
Yes No
0%
10%
20%
30
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1 2 3 4 5
Statement
Agree Disagree Don't know
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Around 88% of respondents agreed with the statement that Natura 2000 signifi es 
nature conservation, while only six respondents disagreed or did not take a position. 
Even in Haloze, where the level of agreement was the lowest, 84% of respondents 
still agreed with the statement. However, this is lower by 8.9 percentage points than 
the fi gure from the national survey for respondents who associate Natura 2000 with 
nature conservation (Table 2). While a larger share of those familiar with Natura 2000 
is found in the project areas compared to the country as a whole, there is a compara-
tively smaller share of those who recognize it as an instrument of nature protection.
Figure 3: Agreement of respondents in project areas with statements about Natura 2000.
Source of data: Survey, 2020.
Note: The following statements were presented: 1 – Natura 2000 signifi es nature 
conservation. 2 – Various human activities are allowed in Natura 2000. 3 – If you have 
forest or if you farm in Natura 2000, you can receive subsidies. 4 – People living in Natura 
2000 can take pride in that. 5 – Natura 2000 restricts farming.
Among the respondents in the project areas, opinions were the most divided on 
the statement that various human activities are allowed in Natura 2000. Of all the 
claims, this was the one on which the greatest share of respondents could not take a 
position, and fewer than half (48%) agreed with it. A comparison with the national 
survey shows that there are no major diff erences in the two groups of respondents that 
agreed, but there is an important diff erence in the share of those who disagree with 
Figure 2
Yes No
Gorjanci - grasslands 5 7
Gorjanci - farming 7 5
Haloze - grasslands 38 29
Haloze - farming 29 38
Kum - grasslands 16 4
Kum - farming 8 12
Pohorje - grasslands 6 2
Pohorje - farming 3 5
Project area - grasslands 62 45
Project area - farming 47 60
Figure 3
Statement Agree Disagree Don't know
1 90 6 6
2 49 30 23
3 79 4 19
4 87 6 9
5 32 61 9
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Gorjanci - grasslands
Gorjanci - farming
Haloze - grasslands
Haloze - farming
Kum - grasslands
Kum - farming
Pohorje - grasslands
Pohorje - farming
Project area - grasslands
Project area - farming
Yes No
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1 2 3 4 5
Statement
Agree Disagree Don't know
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the statement, as this was 13.6 percentage points higher in the national survey, at the 
expense of the share of the undecided.
The third statement asserted that farmers and forest owners in the Natura 2000 
area could receive subsidies. In the project areas, 77% of respondents agreed with 
this, and only four disagreed. Farmers without this kind of knowledge or experience 
mostly opted for the response “I don’t know”. Compared to the national survey, a 
greater share of respondents in the project areas were convinced of the possibility 
of obtaining a subsidy for agriculture or forestry in the project areas – the difference 
was 18.9 percentage points. Almost a fifth of the Slovenian population was convinced 
that such subsidies could not be obtained. The differences in responses are under-
standable, as farms have considerably more experience in obtaining subsidies than 
the general public. In the national survey, only 22.4% of respondents were engaged in 
farming, and 30.3% of respondents owned forest land.
Table 2: Agreement with statements about Natura 2000 in Slovenia and in the project areas.
Project areas (N=102) Slovenia (N=1007)
Statement Agree Disagree Don’t 
know
Agree Disagree Don’t know
Natura 2000 signifies nature 
conservation. 88.2 5.9 5.9 97.1 2.1 0.8
Various human activities are 
allowed in Natura 2000. 48.0 29.4 22.5 48.7 43.0 8.3
If you have forest or if you 
farm in Natura 2000, you 
can receive subsidies
77.4 3.9 18.6 58.5 18.5 23.0
People living in Natura 2000 
can take pride in that.* 85.3 5.9 8.8 79.5 10.4 10.1
Natura 2000 restricts 
farming. 31.4 59.8 8.8 68.0 23.0 9.0
Sources of data: Raziskava…, 2019; Survey, 2020.
Note: *In the national public opinion survey the statement was: If I lived in a Natura 2000 
area, I would be proud.
A longitudinal study on social values of space and the environment in Slovenia 
(Hočevar et al., 2018) showed that in the period 2004–2018, support for the protection 
of natural areas increased in the country. As many as 81.4% of respondents believed that 
the state should consistently protect all areas of preserved nature, even in the face of lo-
cal opposition. Moreover, in the same opinion poll in 2018, the population of Slovenia 
most often cited the proximity of nature (61.0%) and a clean (unpolluted) environment 
(55.6%) among the five most important features of a place to live, immediately after 
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security with a low crime rate (77.5% of respondents), which shows how highly valued 
nature is in the country. The results of the national survey from 2019, in which almost 
80% of respondents agreed with the statement that they would be proud to live in a 
Natura 2000 area, can also be understood in this context. Only a tenth saw no reason 
to be proud. In the project areas in 2020, respondents were even more convinced that 
inhabitants of Natura 2000 areas can take pride in this. All respondents in Pohorje and 
about 84% of respondents from other areas agreed with the statement.
The greatest differences in the results of the two surveys could be seen regarding 
the statement that Natura 2000 restricts farming. Fewer than a third of the respond-
ents in the project areas agreed with the statement, whereas more than two-thirds of 
the respondents in the national survey did (68.0%). Significant differences also ex-
ist between project areas, as no one in Pohorje agreed with the statement, while in 
Haloze 36.5% of respondents regarded Natura 2000 as a restriction for agriculture. 
In general, project areas where the majority of the population live in the Natura 2000 
area and are also engaged in farming have been shown to be more aware of the practi-
cal consequences of nature protection measures, and surprisingly less aware of what 
Natura 2000 is primarily intended for.
We also found that almost half of all respondents, thanks to this primarily na-
ture conservation project, have begun to identify new development opportunities for 
agriculture in their area, from new farming practices to opportunities to engage in 
supplementary activities on farms and generate additional income. In this way, the 
project has clearly succeeded in linking environmental efforts in their local environ-
ments with the search for opportunities for progress in the social and economic fields, 
which is also extremely important for achieving the long-term goals of sustainable 
development.
4 CONCLUSIONS
A survey of the attitudes of participating farms in the LIFE project Life to Grass-
lands, which took place between 2015 and 2020 in four dry grassland areas in Slove-
nia, showed that respondents display a more positive attitude towards Natura 2000 
sites compared to other Slovenian residents. To a greater extent, they expressed pride 
in living in Natura 2000 areas, and to a lesser extent they saw this form of nature 
conservation as an impediment to agriculture or other human activities, and were 
much more aware of the possibilities for financial support that they can receive for 
their agricultural activities. 95.3% of respondents were familiar with Natura 2000, 
significantly above the national average (63.7%). The only deviation is the finding 
that respondents from the project areas equated Natura 2000 with the conservation 
of nature to a somewhat lesser extent. This could also be the result of project activities 
aimed at raising awareness of economic opportunities in areas where special attention 
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Attitudes of farmers towards nature conservation in selected areas of dry grasslands in Eastern Slovenia
needs to be paid to nature conservation efforts. Nevertheless, we can confirm the ini-
tial assumption that farmers participating in the project of conservation and manage-
ment of dry grasslands are more aware of Natura 2000 sites than other inhabitants of 
Slovenia and have a more positive attitude towards them.
We also found that the project helped to identify new development opportuni-
ties for agriculture and significantly changed the view of farmers on the importance 
of preserving species-rich grasslands, especially concerning greater awareness and 
knowledge of plants, grassland diversity and the importance of maintaining dry grass-
lands. However, we noticed a significant gap between the higher level of awareness 
of the farmers involved in the project and the actual implementation of new farming 
practices. In just under half of the participating farmers, the project also influenced 
changes in certain agricultural practices, most often in grazing and methods of mow-
ing meadows. However, farmers have remained relatively reluctant to make more rad-
ical changes to farming (e.g. switching to organic production), although many have 
shown readiness for them in principle and over time. As a result, additional education 
of farmers will be needed, as well as efforts from various stakeholders in the field of 
environmental protection and the promotion of sustainable agriculture, in order to 
transfer awareness into regular agricultural practices to a greater extent.
The success of the project is reflected not only in the way of thinking of the sur-
veyed farmers, but also in the new agriculture, environment and climate payments 
scheme as a “conservation of dry grasslands” intervention, which is included in the 
strategic plan of the upcoming programming period (MKGP, 2021). This is the only 
intervention in a scheme that is entirely results-oriented. Since it has already been 
tested in the field at the time of the project implementation, it is expected to be more 
successful than past agri-environment measures related to grasslands, which have 
been identified as highly ineffective (Kaligarič et al., 2019).
In interpreting the results of the survey, it should be noted that the attitudes of the 
respondents during their lives are shaped by many factors and thus project activities 
could only influence them to a limited extent. Also, the farms involved in the project 
represented only a minority of all those who farm in the project areas, so their opin-
ions cannot be generalized to the entire areas of Gorjanci, Haloze, Kum or Pohorje. 
Nevertheless, it is these farms that have gained knowledge and experience in the LIFE 
project that can be an important driving force in their local communities in the fu-
ture. Through following established good practices, the effects of projects can spill 
over to other stakeholders (Magda et al., 2015) who have not participated actively 
in the project, and positive experiences with the project also open the door to other 
similar approaches.
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Katja Vintar Mally, Nejc Bobovnik, Barbara Lampič, Simon Kušar | Dela 56 | 2021 | 157–174
Acknowledgment
The study (Vintar Mally et al., 2020) was carried out by a project team from the Depart-
ment of Geography, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. The authors give special 
thanks to their colleague Doroteja Penko for meticulous administration of the survey.
The LIFE project Conservation and management of dry grasslands in Eastern Slovenia 
(Life to Grasslands) was implemented by the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Na-
ture Conservation in cooperation with several partners (Rural Development Center PRJ 
Halo, Agriculture and Forestry Institute Ptuj, Local Community Dobovec and Society 
Gorjanske košenice), and was made possible by the European Union financial instru-
ment LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity, with co-financing from the Ministry of the Envi-
ronment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia.
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ODNOS KMETOV DO VARSTVA NARAVE NA IZBRANIH 
OBMOČJIH SUHIH TRAVIŠČ V VZHODNI SLOVENIJI
Povzetek
V članku so predstavljeni rezultati raziskave odnosa do varstva narave in območij 
Natura 2000 med kmeti, ki so v obdobju 2015–2020 sodelovali v LIFE projektu Life 
to grasslands. LIFE projekt je bil namenjen ohranjanju suhih travišč na štirih Natura 
2000 območjih v vzhodni Sloveniji; Haloze, Pohorje, Kum in Gorjanci. V zadnjem 
letu trajanja projekta (2020) smo z anketiranjem sodelujočih kmetijskih gospodarstev 
skušali ugotoviti, v kolikšni meri je projekt vplival na spremembo stališč kmetov o 
suhih traviščih in kmetovanju na njih, njihovo mnenje o Naturi 2000 pa smo dodat-
no primerjali z rezultati slovenskih javnomnenjskih raziskav. Čeprav je bil projekt 
primarno usmerjen v doseganje naravovarstvenih ciljev, se je pomemben del aktiv-
nosti projektnih partnerjev navezoval tudi na izobraževanje in ozaveščanje lokalnega 
prebivalstva o pomenu suhih travišč, območij Natura 2000 in varstva narave nasploh. 
Posledično je preučitev izhajala iz predpostavke, da bodo v projektu ohranjanja in 
upravljanja suhih travišč sodelujoči kmeti v primerjavi z drugimi prebivalci Slovenije 
izkazovali višjo stopnjo ozaveščenosti o območjih Natura 2000 in imeli do njih bolj 
pozitiven odnos.
V preučevanih predelih Haloz, Kuma in Gorjancev se v okviru Nature 2000 varuje 
habitatni tip 6230 – vrstno bogata travišča s prevladujočim navadnim volkom (Nar-
dus stricta), na Pohorju pa habitatni tip 6210 – polnaravna suha travišča in grmiščne 
faze na karbonatnih tleh (Festuco-Brometalia). Obstoj obeh evropsko pomembnih ha-
bitatnih tipov je vezan na ekstenzivno kmetijstvo ali pašo in je v Evropi ogrožen na 
eni strani zaradi intenziviranja kmetijstva, na drugi strani pa zaradi opuščanja rabe v 
preteklosti košenih travnikov in pašnikov, kar vodi v zaraščanje. S projektom Life to 
grasslands so tako skušali predvsem vzpostavljati ugodno stanje in ohranjanje suhih 
travišč, vzporedno pa v praksi dokazovati, da je možno kmetovanje oziroma zagota-
vljanje prehranske varnosti ob sočasnem varovanju narave (IRSCN, 2020). Domače 
in tuje študije namreč kažejo, da sta odnos in vključenost lokalnih kmetov izjemnega 
pomena za uspešno upravljanje naravovarstvenih območij, četudi okoljska ozavešče-
nost kmetov oziroma lokalnih prebivalcev ne vodi nujno v njihovo aktivno udeležbo.
Aktivnosti za ohranjanje suhih travišč, ki so potekale na zemljiščih sodelujočih 
kmetov, so vključevale odstranjevanje zarasti, urejanje novih travnikov in pašnikov za 
ekstenzivno rabo, obnavljanje ali pomlajevanje visokodebelnih sadovnjakov in podob-
no. Lokalni kmeti in prebivalci torej niso bili deležni le ozaveščanja in izobraževanja, 
temveč so bili v projekt aktivno vključeni s svojimi zemljišči in opravljenimi urami dela, 
v zameno pa so se iz projekta financirali nakupi kmetijske opreme, ki so jo prejeli v upo-
rabo, ter pomoč tretjih oseb (npr. za čiščenje zemljišč) (Debeljak et al., 2020). 
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K sodelovanju v raziskavi o učinkih projekta je bilo povabljenih vseh 161 kmetij-
skih gospodarstev, ki so bila v projekt vključena z zemljišči na enem izmed projektnih 
območij, odzvali pa sta se dve tretjini oziroma 107 kmetijskih gospodarstev. Anketi-
ranci so v primerjavi z drugimi prebivalci Slovenije izkazovali bolj pozitiven odnos do 
Natura 2000 območij in bili o njih tudi bolj ozaveščeni. V večji meri so izrazili občutek 
ponosa na življenje v Natura 2000 območjih, v manjši meri so v tej obliki varstva 
narave videli oviro za kmetijstvo oziroma druge dejavnosti ter se bistveno bolje zave-
dali možnosti finančnih podpor, ki so jih lahko deležni za svoje kmetijske dejavnosti. 
Naturo 2000 je poznalo 95,3 % anketirancev, kar je bistveno nad nacionalnim povpre-
čjem (63,7 %). Odstopa le ugotovitev, da so anketiranci s projektnih območij v Naturi 
2000 v nekoliko manjši meri prepoznali varstvo narave. To bi lahko bila tudi posledica 
projektnih aktivnosti, ki so bile usmerjene v ozaveščanje gospodarskih priložnosti na 
območjih, kjer je treba posebej paziti na naravovarstvena prizadevanja. 
Projekt je pripomogel k prepoznavanju novih razvojnih priložnosti za kmetijstvo, 
od novih praks kmetovanja pa do možnosti ukvarjanja z dopolnilnimi dejavnostmi 
na kmetijah in ustvarjanja dodatnega zaslužka, kar je potrdila skoraj polovica vseh 
anketiranih. S tem je projekt očitno uspel doseči, da so se okoljevarstvena prizadeva-
nja v njihovih lokalnih okoljih povezala z iskanjem možnosti napredka na socialnem 
in ekonomskem področju, kar je izjemnega pomena tudi za doseganje dolgoročnih 
ciljev trajnostnega razvoja. 
Projekt je pomembno spremenil pogled kmetovalcev na pomen ohranjanja vrstno 
pestrih travišč, predvsem v smeri večje ozaveščenosti in poznavanja rastlin, pestrosti 
travišč in pomembnosti vzdrževanja suhih travnikov. Rezultati kažejo na veliko vlogo 
ozaveščanja lokalnega prebivalstva o biotski pestrosti in pomenu njenega ohranjanja 
tudi v primerih, ko gre za podeželsko prebivalstvo, ki se tradicionalno ukvarja s kme-
tijstvom, in od katerega bi pričakovali, da je že prek stika z naravo visoko ozaveščeno 
o dobrih kmetijskih praksah, prilagojenih na specifične lokalne razmere. 
Zaznali smo tudi znaten razkorak med višjo stopnjo ozaveščenosti v projekt 
vključenih kmetov in njihovim dejanskim uresničevanjem novih praks kmetovanja. 
Čeprav anketiranci cenijo pridobljeno znanje, so bili v bistveno manjši meri prepriča-
ni, da bo to vplivalo na njihov način kmetovanja. Le slaba polovica (43 %) sodelujočih 
kmetov je poročala, da je projekt vplival tudi na spremembo določenih kmetijskih 
praks, največkrat pri paši in načinu košnje travnikov. Do bolj korenitih sprememb 
kmetovanja (npr. preusmeritev v ekološko pridelavo) pa so bili kmetje še razmeroma 
zadržani, čeprav so mnogi na načelni ravni in v daljšem časovnem obdobju zanje 
izkazali pripravljenost. Posledično bodo potrebna še dodatna izobraževanja kmetov 
ter napori različnih deležnikov s področja varstva okolja in spodbujanja trajnostnega 
kmetijstva, da se bo ozaveščenost v večji meri prenesla v redno kmetijsko prakso. 
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