On Thursday, 6 February 2025, the Scientific Café ‘Karst Edge: Tourism, Sustainability and Development’, organised by the Regional Development Centre Koper within the framework of the POSEIDONE project of the Interreg VI-A IT-SI Programme, was held at the Village House in Gračišče. The event focused on the presentation of a study on the parking areas of the Karst Edge, which offers guidelines for the future management of this area.
The event was attended by over 40 stakeholders from the local community, including representatives from the Municipality of Koper, the agricultural and tourism sectors, as well as other experts The participants emphasised the need for sustainable tourism that does not compromise the quality of life of the inhabitants, but allows for a balanced development of the area.
Tina Primožič, head of the POSEIDONE project at the Regional Development Centre Koper, emphasised: "The study was developed over more than a year and is the result of the collaboration and involvement of stakeholders on the Karst Edge. Only with a coordinated approach can we ensure sustainable and acceptable solutions in the long term for everyone. The study analysed the current parking capacity, identified the need for additional parking spaces (including for camping), identified critical areas and proposed solutions.
Currently, there are 37 car parks with a total of 686 parking spaces on the Karst Edge, which makes careful planning essential to preserve the natural balance and improve the tourist experience The study also suggests a monitoring system, as visitor management in such a complex and diverse area is an ongoing process. It will be necessary to define measurable indicators to assess the effectiveness of the solutions adopted Matevž Premelč, one of the experts involved in the study, pointed out: "The demand for parking spaces will continue to increase, but we can't build them indefinitely. It is essential to implement a management system that ensures a balance between accessibility and environmental conservation. The event also offered an overview of future plans for the development of the Karst Ciglion.
The deputy mayor of the Municipality of Koper, Mateja Hrvatin Kozlovič, presented the vision of sustainable development, experts from the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia - Agricultural Forestry Institute Nova Gorica, discussed the agricultural challenges in the context of Natura 2000, while Helena Brec Loredan, Public Authority for Youth, Culture and Tourism Koper, explained the role of the Karst Edge in the new tourism strategy The POSEIDONE project, co-financed by the European Union, aims to preserve biodiversity, develop green and blue infrastructure and reduce tourist pressure on protected areas The study on parking areas is a significant step towards a balanced development of the Karst Ciglione, allowing the local population and sustainable tourism to coexist.
