Preserving Želodnik: Advocacy Campaign for Preventing the Planned, Ecologically Controversial Construction of the Želodnik Business Area

The Municipality of Domžale is planning the construction of a business area in the part of the Želodnik forest and wetland, which is excluded from the nature reserve. Also part of the area is the Želodnik pond, which lies at the heart of the forest. Building a business area here would destroy the wetland.

Želodnik is of great importance primarily due to the local ecological corridors and migration routes of amphibians between the pond and the surrounding forests. Providing long-term replacement habitats has been unsuccessful, which has led to an increase of amphibians on road areas and disrupted the local ecological corridors.

The Preserving Želodnik project marks the start of an advocacy campaign aimed at raising awareness and educating local residents and establishing appropriate communication channels for communicating with the public (such as roundtable discussions, press conferences and cultural events). We will also establish communication between the Municipality of Domžale and the public, striving to find alternative solutions to the construction of the business area.

The Terra Anima Society for Deep Ecology intertwines art and advocacy, implementing activities aimed at nature education and nature conservation. Art has the power to bring people closer to the beauty and ecological significance of nature on an emotional level and inspire them to take action to protect it. The Society is carrying out various activities related to the local wetland, which has been protected as part of the Češnjica and Prevoje Forest Nature Reserve – we carry out clean-ups, transport amphibians and organize storytelling walks, which bring the locals closer to their natural heritage and encourage them to fight for it.