UDIN BORŠT – FUNCTION AND LAND

USE OF TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

We have mapped West area of Udin boršt – hinterland of the village Spodnje Duplje. Land use is not varied. In Udin boršt grows forest, at its edge we find grasslands and meadows. We also have mapped some anthropogenic in? uences (regulated, captured water sources, water reservoirs, piles of fire woods, illegal litter dumps). In this area we have found two captured water sources – Arneševa luknja and Arneševa zijalka – and one water reservoir in the southern side of the area. We found some illegal litter dumps. Domestic litters predominate (foil, pots, footwear, car’s and tractor’s pneumatics) and, structural material, which people used for layout the forest roads. We found one very big litter dump, which on our opinion means big danger for environment. We suggest to remove it as soon as possible. On the edge of the forest local people store firewoods.
In this context we also asked local people in Spodnje and Zgornje Duplje, about land use of Udin boršt and its function. We carried out 19 questionnaires. 75 % of asked people were older than 40 years.
80% of asked people use Udin boršt for relaxation and recreation. 60% of them go for walking in Udin boršt at least one per week, at least for one hour. Most of them prefer Udin boršt, because of the sign-posted walking paths. In these context people suggest arrangement of the refreshment. More than 50% of asked people use Udin boršt for cycling. 60% of them cycle on the regulated bicycle roads. Most of them cycle once per week or once per month, about one hour. 50% of them suggest regulation of some new bicycle roads. They are also afraid about the cars and motors on these roads. Most of the forest in Udin bošt is private property. Owners use forest for cutting trees and for making firewoods, mostly for themselves. Almost 50% of asked people in this landscape gather different forest fruits (blueberries, mushrooms, chestnuts…). Almost 50% of asked use water from Udin boršt - some for households, some mostly for washing a car or watering a garden.
80% of asked do not appreciate various illegal litter dumps in Udin boršt. The cleaning actions, which are organised once or twice per year, most of them do not attend, because of seniority. Many local people said, that forest animals are still present in this region (roes, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, birds), but less than used to be 30 or 40 years ago. So we suggest that the local organisations give much more attention to this subject.

EXPECTATIONS: We expect that the function and land use of Udin boršt will not change in the future. It will be still attractive place for walking and cycling. We suggest regulation of more bicycle roads although this would attract more visitors. The augmented pollution could be prevented by better ecological sense. We also suggest removal of illegal litter dumps and strict control of the pollution in this landscape. Renewed regulation of the 3 small lakes in the vicinity of Arneševa luknja could augment attraction of this landscape and could bring more visitors. Close to natural heritage Arneševa luknja info-tourist point (some benches for break, selling of postcards, maps of Udin boršt and souvenirs, giving information…) could be organized. Karst landscape is for tourists and visitors very interesting. So Arneševa luknja (cave in karst) could be arranged for sight–seeing and researching. In that case Udin boršt could entice much more visitors who wish to relax and recreate themselves.