See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318113114 Geopark Karavanke-Secrets written in stone Article · January 2014 CITATIONS READS 0 65 8 authors, including: Mojca Bedjanič Uroš Herlec Zavod RS za varstvo narave/Institute of the R… University of Ljubljana 15 PUBLICATIONS 3 CITATIONS 26 PUBLICATIONS 78 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Walter Poltnig JR-AquaConSol GmbH 67 PUBLICATIONS 45 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Geopark Karawanken / Karavanke View project All content following this page was uploaded by Walter Poltnig on 03 July 2017. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Geopark Karavanke - Secrets written in stone Fajmut Štrucl Suzana B. Sc.1, Bedjanič Mojca B. Sc.2, Hartmann Gerald B. Sc.3, Uroš Herlec4, Walter Poltnig5, Rojs Lenka2,, Vodovnik Primož6, Varch Christian7 1 Podzemlje Pece, d.o.o., Tourist Mine and Museum; 2 Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Regional Unit Maribor; 3 LAG (regional cooperation) – Regionalkooperation Unterkarnten; 4 Oddelek za geologijo, Univerza v Ljubljani; 5 Joanneum Research Ressourcen - Institut für Wasser, Energie und Nachhaltigkeit Forschungs; -gruppe Wasser Ressourcen Management Resources; 6 RRA Koroška, Regional Development Agency for Koroška; 7 Obir-Tropfsteinhöhlen Errichtungs- u. Betriebsges.m.b.H. (Obir caves) Abstract: In 1988, when mining activities stopped and the Mežica mine began closing down, strong initiatives emerged for the conservation of the rich natural, technical and cultural heritage. In the framework of the tourist mine and museum Podzemlje Pece, valuable mine sections have been conserved and dedicated to education and tourism. In 2002, the Slovenian part of the Geopark area was recognized as valuable by geo- logical and environmental experts due to its extraordinary geological and geomorpho- logic heritage, which should be conserved and promoted appropriately. This part of the Geopark was later on also identified as a potential geopark area within the Cultural Heritage and Natural Values Conservation Strategy in accordance with the UNESCO international legal instruments and activities as well as the Resolution on the National Environmental Protection Programme. Approximately at the same time promotion, protection and marketing activities of the geological, as well as other natural and cul- tural heritage, also started on the Austrian side with the Obir caves at its centre. This natural monument has been open to the public since 1987 and has had more than one million visitors. The idea to work together for the joint promotion and marketing of the cross-border area started at the local level in the year 2007 within the cross-border Authors: Fajmut Štrucl Suzana B. Sc., Podzemlje Pece, d.o.o., Tourist Mine and Museum. E-mail: [email protected] Bedjanič Mojca B. Sc., Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Regional Unit Maribor. E-mail: [email protected] Hartmann Gerald B. Sc., LAG (regional cooperation) – Regionalkooperation Unterkarnten. E-mail: [email protected] Uroš Herlec, Oddelek za geologijo, Univerza v Ljubljani. E-mail:[email protected] Walter Poltnig, Joanneum Research Ressourcen - Institut für Wasser, Energie und Nachhaltigkeit Forschungsgruppe Wasser Ressourcen Management Resources. E-mail: [email protected] Rojs Lenka, Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Regional Unit Maribor. E-mail: [email protected] Vodovnik Primož, RRA Koroška, Regional Development Agency for Koroška. E-mail: [email protected] Varch Christian, Obir-Tropfsteinhöhlen Errichtungs- u. Betriebsges.m.b.H. (Obir caves), E-mail: [email protected] B. Sc. Fajmut Štrucl Suzana, et al.: Geopark Karavanke - Secrets written in stone 83 working group “Dežele pod Peco - Petzenland”. The idea was supported by local com- munities, regional authorities and expert institutions, and implemented with the project “Establishment of a cross-border Geopark between Peca/Petzen and Košuta/ Koschuta”, which was co-financed from EFRD within Operational Programme Slove- nia-Austria 2007-2013. The Geopark Karavanke, established in 2010 and from March 2013 member of the European geopark network, is managed by a cross-border part- nership network, including two key geo-centres, local communities and support institu- tions in the fields of natural, geological and cultural heritage protection as well as in regional development (Figure 1). Keywords: crossborder Geopark Karavanke; Slovenia; Austria; geological heritage; geo tourism Figure 1 Logo of Geopark Karavanke 1 Surface area and administrative borders The crossborder Geopark Karavanke extends over an area of 1067 km2 with a popula- tion of 53,464 (Figure 2). It covers part of the south-eastern Alps, including territories of Slovenia and Austria. On the Slovenian side, the Geopark Karavanke area includes five municipalities and is located in the East Slovenia cohesion region (NUTS 2) and in the Koroška statistical region (NUTS 3). In Austria, the Geopark Karavanke in- cludes nine municipalities, located in the Bundesland Kärnten according to NUTS 2, and covers parts of the Unterkärnten and Klagenfurt-Villach regions, according to NUTS 3. Both of these NUTS 3 regions are considered remote within the countries they belong to, despite the fact that they are located centrally in Europe. Lively break and thrust tectonics during the formation of the Savinja Alps and the Karavanke, as well as glacial and karstic geomorphologic processes and erosion, have created a unique and interesting relief in the area between the Peca and Košuta mountains. The Geopark Karavanke surface is mostly a hilly and mountainous area, with valleys along the Drava, Meža, Mislinja and Vellach/Bela rivers and the Jaun- tal/Podjunska valley in the north of the Geopark Karavanke. It covers the Eastern Karavanke, including its northern and southern mountain ranges, a part of Kam- niško-Savinjske Alps, and parts of the Košenjak, Pohorje, Strojna and Kömmel- berg/Komelj hills along the border. In the northern part of the Eastern Karavanke, which is the highest area of the Geopark Karavanke, the highest peaks are the Obir/Hochobir (2139 m), Košuta/Koschuta (2136 m), Peca/Petzen-Kordeževa glava (2126 m), Peca/Petzen-Bistriška špica (2113 m), Raduha (2125 m) and somewhat lower Uršlja gora (1699 m), while the highest peaks of the southern part are the vol- canic Smrekovec mountain chain (1577 m) and Olševa/Uschowa mountain (1929 m). The relief is quite unevenly formed due to the varied geologic structures and different tectonic events. The prevailing forms are rounded, stacked forms and plateaus. The 84 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEOHERITAGE limestone relief has characteristic steep slopes and narrow ridges. On the other hand, the magmatic and metamorphic relief has a more even and wider surface. The north- ern part of the Geopark Karavanke covers the Jauntal/Podjunska dolina demarcated by the river Drava/Drau in the north and the Karavanke in the south. Along the na- tional border, the highlands of Strojna are remarkable, thanks to their massiveness and their undulating slopes and gorges. Between Peca/Petzen and Uršlja gora in the north and Raduha and Smrekovec in the south, there are lower stacked highlands with gen- tle slopes that descend into the deeply carved Meža and Bistra river valleys. In the east, the Mislinja river valley demarcates the Eastern Karavanke and Pohorje moun- tain ranges. Figure 2 Geopark Kravanke area 2 Tourism in Geopark Karavanke Tourism is the second most important service sector industry in the area of the Geopark Karavanke. In total, accommodations offer about 4.000 beds. The area is mostly visited by domestic tourists (Slovenia – 58.6%, Austria – 73.9%), followed by tourists from Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Italy and Sweden. The average stay is five days. In summer and winter peak seasons, there is a higher concentration of visits, however, in the off-season, there are predominantly one-day visitors. The tourism offer’s key elements are seasonal summer and winter activities, cul- tural, historic and natural sites, holidays at farms (in connection with traditional cui- sine) and health tourism (that accounts for the major share of overnight stays and is mostly located in the health spa of Bad Eisenkappel/Železna Kapla). The most common summer activities are hiking, cycling and climbing, as well as visiting health resorts. The hilly and mountainous landscape, with its well managed hiking and mountain trails, offers numerous opportunities for different target groups. Sections of two international mountain trails cross the Geopark Karavanke territory: the E6 European long distance path and Via Alpina, as well as stages of the Slovenian Mountain Trail, the Koroška Alpine Trail and others, all dotted with 12 mountain B. Sc. Fajmut Štrucl Suzana, et al.: Geopark Karavanke - Secrets written in stone 85 cabins. There are also more and more thematic hiking trails (Košuta Geotrail, educa- tional forest trails etc.). There are several geomorphologically interesting rock walls, attractive to various types of climbers. During the months when climbing in the open air is not possible, indoor climbing walls are available, and in Feistritz ob Bleiburg/Bistrici pri Pliberku, there is a climbing tower that is used for ice climbing in winter. The Geopark Karavanke area has a vast network of cycle paths. A part of the inter- national Drauradweg (River Cycling Route along the Drau/Drava river) as well as numerous local thematic cycle paths cross the area. Several forest and mountain roads are marked as mountain bike routes (for example, the cross-border mountain bike route around the Peca/Petzen Mountain) and one can also find here the first Slovenian mountain bike park. The two especially attractive activities for cyclists are cycling in the mine tunnels of the abandoned lead and zinc mine under the Peca (Podzemlje Pece) on the Slovenian side, and downhill biking on the Flow Country Trail from Petzen on the Austrian side (Figure 3). Figure 3 Climbing in Geopark Karavanke (Foto.