Ljubljana, 15 October 2013 – Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, acting as the Managing Authority for EU structural funds and the Cohesion Fund, issued a decision awarding EU funds for the facilities in the Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve which will define the final image of the Nature Reserve. The project, worth 3.3 million euros, will be co-financed under the European Regional Development Fund in the amount of 2.3 million euros.
The project represents the final stage of the arrangement of the Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve and includes the construction of the following facilities:
1. The information centre for visitors with supporting infrastructure and regulations which is designed as a two-storey wooden facility and tailored to the programme for visitors of the Reserve.
2. The barn as a one-storey wooden facility, which will be placed along the circular nature trail and intended to retain the grazing animals of the Reserve and storage of feed and agricultural machinery. It will also be used for the presentation of agricultural activities in the management of wetlands.
3. The main observation post will be built around a circular nature trail at the northern end of the embankment that divides freshwater from brackish part of the Reserve. The main observation post is intended for observation of wildlife in freshwater and brackish part of the Reserve.
4. The small observation post or watchtower will allow observation of the brackish part of the Reserve from the area under the Anakaran main road with access directly from the city. The small observation post will be placed behind the protective trench so that visitors will not disturb life in this part of the Reserve, which is particularly strictly secured.
5. The city entrance facility will be a secondary entrance into the Reserve, namely in the city side of Škocjanski zatok, at the entrance of Ankaran main road. With its symbolic and orientation role it will represent an urban contact of the Reserve with the city of Koper and will be intended for a basic presentation of the Reserve for visitors who will enter into it from the city.
6. Construction of three new observation posts on the brackish lagoon, which will offer visitors a closer look into the interesting living environment and upgrading of the existing observation posts.
More information about the project is available on the Website of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, which is responsible for the implementation of the project.