The location of the demonstration plots is located on a land plot - cadastral number 2917/1 Otok II which is owned by the Dolenje Jezero Agrarian Village Community and managed by the Cerknica Beekeeping Association. The plots are purposely located directly near the very popular and visited educational trail "Drvošec". There are 6 plots located inside the fenced site, which are currently marked with temporary information boards.
The test polygons are made of square polygons, which are mainly intended for educational content, with dimensions of 3 x 3 m. Around each polygon, a strip of mowed surface with a width of 1 m is maintained. Mowed strip enables the passage of people between individual polygons and enables discrete evaluation of the situation on individual squares.
Land use patterns follow a gradient of intensity. The methods of management are:
1) Mowing and harvesting once every 3 years.
2) Mowing and harvesting once every 2 years.
3) Mowing and harvesting once a year.
4) Mowing once a year, but without harvesting.
5) Intensive mowing and harvesting every 14 days.
6) Plot without maintenance.
In the LIFE TRŠCA project, the first vegetation survey at Pretržje on Lake Cerknica took place between 7. 6. 2024 and 24. 6. 2024. The altitude of all six plots is 554 meters above sea level. They are located on the edge of the regular annual floods of the Cerknica karst polje. The area of each plot is 9 m².
In 2024, the minimum height of the herb layer on all plots was 1 cm. The maximum height of the herb layer is 132 cm, namely on polygon no. 3. The coverage of the herb layer on all census plots is between 75 and 90%. In 2024, the largest number of species, subspecies and groups of species (32) were on census plot no. 6, which is without maintenance/active management. The most frequently represented species is grass from the group of species named red fescue (Festuca rubra agg.). The coverage with red fescue on all demonstration plots was as much as 51 to 75%. The species thrives mainly on less demanding soils and is more common on more extensive meadows. The second most frequently represented species is the hedge bedstraw (Galium mollugo) with coverage on up to 33% individual plots.
As an interesting point, it can be noted that on census plot no. 2, the protected yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus), which is characteristic of wetland habitats, was also recorded. Iris is threatened by too frequent mowing and drainage interventions.
To monitor the success of the management of the marginal part of Cerknica karst polje, it will be important in the future to carry out annual vegetation surveys. Only based on monitoring we can scientifically justify management decisions that do not harm and preserve our nature.
