Territory

LANDSCAPE or the selected Model Forest territory must be both diversified and representative, in order to meet the Model Forest principles.

It must be large enough to include the diversity of values and interests that stakeholders may have. It includes forested areas of course, but also all areas susceptible to develop interactions with forests: agricultural, pastoral, urban areas, wetlands …

It is representative because it represents all key issues of landscape management of regional or national relevance. Future partners agree upon the limits of the Model Forest, which may correspond to administrative, but also geographical or ecological ones: for instance a watershed, a mountain chain or an ensemble of natural habitats.

Model Forest „River Mirna Basin“is located in the North-western part of the Istrian peninsula. Administratively, it belongs to the Region of Istria, and it expands over the territory of 4 cities: Novigrad, Buje, Buzet and Pazin; and over the territory of 12 Municipalities: Brtonigla, Tar-Vabriga, Kastelir - Labinci, Vizinada, Groznjan, Lanisce, Lupoglav, Motovun, Oprtalj, Cerovlje, Tinjan and Karojba.

In the North, it is bordering the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, in the West, the border is the Adriatic Sea, and in the East, the territory of the Region of Primorje-Gorski Kotar.

The status of the highland territory is reserved for the area of the City of Buzet, Municipalities of Lupoglav, Cerovlje and Motovun, while the territories of the Municipalities of Lanisce, Oprtalj and Groznjan are defined as territories of special state concern and belong to the third territorial group. (Act on highland areas and Act on territories of special state concern).

Model Forest “River Mirna Basin“encompasses a total surface of 116.200 ha or 1,162 km2.

This area comprises of 242 settlements and has a population of 39.335 inhabitants; the average population density is 42 inhabitants per km2. The population density numbers vary significantly depending on the location of the municipality within the MF, for example, the Cicarija territory has a density of only 2 inhabitants/km2, while the population density in the coastal municipalities is up 167 inhabitants per km2.

Forests occupy a surface of 66.556 ha. Out of which the state forests occupy a surface of 14.373 ha, and the forests of private forest owners a surface of 52.183 ha.

We can conclude that forested land on the territory of the Model Forest amounts to 57%, which, in relation to the forested land of the Region of Istria, amounts to 36% which is far above average. The surface of forested land per inhabitant on the Model Forest area is 1,7 ha.

Forestry makes only 2% of the regional GDP with only 0,2 % of the population employed in that sector. Therefore, on the Model Forest area we have only 16 businesses involved in felling, forestry works, wood processing and fuelwood.

The ratio of forest owners in the Model Forest area is 3,6 : 1 for the private forest owners compared to state-owned forests.

LANDSCAPE - PHOTO GALLERY