Nature Conservation Act.

This Act sets out measures for the conservation of biodiversity and sets a system for the general protection of natural values, in order to contribute to the nature conservation objective. Biodiversity conservation measures are measures meant to regulate the effective protection of wild plant varieties and wild animal species, of their genetic material and habitats and ecosystems, and allows for sustainable use of components of biodiversity and ensures the preservation of the natural balance. The system of protection of natural values is a system that determines all necessary procedures and methods designated for the purpose of granting the status of natural values and implementing their protection. This Act transposes four European Union thematic Directives into the legal order of the Republic of Slovenia (Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of wild birds; Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora; Council Directive 83/129/EEC concerning the importation into Member States of skins of certain seal pups and products derived therefrom; Council Directive 1999/22/EC relating to the keeping of wild animals in zoos).
The text is divided in twelve main Chapters and a total of 178 articles. Titles of Chapters are as follows: General provisions (I); Biodiversity conservation (II); Protection of valuable natural features (III); Programming (IV); Guidelines and permits (V); Monitoring (VI); Organization (VII); Awards (VIII); Financing (IX); Control (X); Penalty provisions (XI); Transitional and final provisions (XII).
This Act here sets some basic definitions and principles used as pattern for prescribed rules. Biodiversity is the diversity of living organisms. Diversity of living organisms includes diversity within a specie and between different species, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity. Biodiversity is preserved in nature by preserving the natural existing balance. Natural balance is a state of mutually balanced relations and influences between living beings with each other and with their habitats. The natural balance is disturbed when the intervention destroys the number or quality of the structure of living communities of plant or animal species, damage or destroy their habitats, destroy or alters the functioning of ecosystems, breaks interconnections of individual ecosystems or cause significant isolation of individual populations. Natural values include all natural heritage present on the territory of the Republic of Slovenia. The natural value is in particular, geological phenomena, minerals and fossils and their deposits, surface and underground karst phenomena, underground caves, gorges and other geomorphological phenomena, glaciers and forms of glacial activity, springs, waterfalls, rapids, lakes, bogs, streams and rivers with banks, sea coast, plant and animal species, their exceptional specimens and their habitats, ecosystems, landscape and shaped nature. The system of protection of natural values shall ensure the conditions for conservation of properties of natural values or natural processes that establish these properties, and conditions for the restoration of natural values. All policies, programmes, strategies and development plans in individual areas that can contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, must demonstrate in their fields and ensure the implementation of measures to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity. The state, local communities and other persons governed by public law shall be involved in the performance of their competent tasks by taking into account the principles, objectives and measures of biodiversity conservation, and protection of natural values.
Measures for the protection of national valuable features are outlined in articles 45 to 52. A protected area shall be established by the Government or by a local community. Protected areas shall be small protected areas (arts. 64 to 66) and large protected areas (arts. 67 to 71). Measures for the protection of minerals and fossils, and of endangered plant and animal species are provided for in articles 72 to 83. The National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia shall adopt a national nature protection programme (art. 94). Nature protection guidelines are provided for in articles 97 to 101. Provisions for the granting of permits for activities affecting nature, and nature protection consents are set out in articles 104 to 107. Nature protection levies and fees are set out in articles 148 to 150. The inspection and direct control of the implementation of the provisions of this Act shall be carried out by inspectors responsible for nature conservation and by nature protection wardens.
The Annex is also part of this publication and it is attached to this text (containing the list of a total of 114 nature sights, rarities or natural sights, for which specific legislation is implemented and which are object of nature protection on the territory of the Republic of Slovenia).