Register of natural values (areas)

The list of natural values defines the natural values in the space and is intended to protect them. Data on the spatial distribution of natural values in Slovenia and related attribute data are intended for the preparation of nature protection guidelines for plans, programmes, plans, spatial or other acts and their amendments or additions and the preparation of management plans of protected areas. In addition, they allow for a variety of analyses, comparative evaluation and help with operational nature conservation work. Last but not least, they are intended for landowners and to raise awareness among the general public about the richness of Slovenia’s natural heritage or natural values and the importance of their protection. The data set shows the spatial distribution of areas of natural values in Slovenia as defined in the Rules on the designation and protection of natural values (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia Nos 111/04, 70/06, 58/09, 93/10 and 23/15) issued on the basis of Article 37(6) of the Nature Conservation Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nos 96/04 — official consolidated text, 61/06 — ZDru-1, 8/10 — ZSKZ-B, 46/14, 21/18 — ZNOrg and 31/18). According to the Nature Conservation Act, a natural value is, in addition to a rare, precious or famous natural phenomenon, another valuable phenomenon, an ingredient or part of a living or non-living nature, a natural area or part of a natural area, an ecosystem, a landscape or a shaped nature. Among the objects and areas of natural values are: geological phenomena, minerals and fossils and their deposits, surface and underground karst phenomena, underground caves, gorges and tight and other geomorphological phenomena, glaciers and forms of glacial activity, springs, waterfalls, rapids, lakes, bogs, streams and rivers with shorelines, the sea coast, plant and animal species, their exceptional specimens and their habitats, ecosystems, landscapes and shaped nature. The Rules on the determination and protection of natural values prescribe the production of two variants of GIS layers with boundaries of natural values. The layer of areas of natural values is one of the three layers of the variant for public use, produced in accordance with Article 5(7) of the Rules. Descriptive data complement the spatial definition of natural values by providing attribute data for each element or area as prescribed by the Rules: registration number of natural value, name of natural value, short designation, classification between natural values of national or local importance and species of natural value.