About the Local Action Group “The capital and the countryside – hand in hand”

The LAG is a local action group of four municipalities in the Ljubljana urban region: Grosuplje, Ig, the City of Ljubljana and Škofljica. During the 2014-2022 programming period, the LAG’s lead partner was CIZA – Institute for Rural Development. In the programming period up to 2027, the LAG’s management will be transferred to the Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region.

CER CEROVO Tourist Society

The Koščak homestead in the village of Cerovo, near Grosuplje, has been a renowned estate since 1866, known for its tradition of horse breeding. In 2009, the family founded the Cer Society, named after the type of oak tree that grows in the nearby woods and gave the village of Cerovo its name. For more than a decade, the Cerovo Tourist Society has been committed to eco-friendly tourism. Its crowning achievement is the famous Kingfisher Nature Trail and Kingfisher’s Grove, where the melodious songs of birds create a soul-stirring ambience. With remarkable vision, passion and deep understanding of nature, the Cer Society has attracted a diverse array of bird species to a compact area on the edge of the karst field. Taking advantage of the unique features of the karst landscape in its creation, the Kingfisher’s Grove captivates visitors with its picturesque setting and abundant flora and fauna, especially bird species. The CER Society also manages and curates the award-winning Kingfisher Nature Trail, which showcases the area’s rich natural and cultural heritage. (SOURCE)

The Kingfisher Nature Trail

The Kingfisher Nature Trail project aims to conserve and protect the rich natural features and biodiversity of the countryside, whilst minimising negative environmental impacts.

In 2017, the Society secured LEADER funding for the extension of the Kingfisher Nature Trail to enhance the existing nature trail at Kingfisher’s Grove. The primary aim is to assess and conserve local natural features, thereby directly contributing to the conservation of biodiversity in the countryside. The project includes a 5km nature trail, the installation of informative signs along the entire route and the nesting sites for various woodland birds, including blue tits, wallcreepers, great tits, crested tits and others. The partners in this project are the Equestrian and Tourist Association of CER Cerovo, the Hunting Club Taborska Jama, the Tourist Association of the Županova Jama Cave Complex, the Slovenian Forestry Service and the Župančičeva Jama (The Mayor’s Cave) – Tourist and Environmental Association of Grosuplje.

In 2021, the Cerovo Tourist Society, in cooperation with its partner, the Institute for Sustainable Development and Outdoor Experiences Vodomčev Gaj, Cerovo, enhanced the nature trail through the Kingfisher Nature Tail project. As part of the effort to create a comprehensive tourism product, QR codes were integrated into the existing signage, allowing visitors to access information in English, German and Italian. In addition, 7 penguin-shaped presentation panels were developed to target vulnerable groups such as children, senior citizens and people with disabilities. These panels allow the educational content of the trail to be accessed in a classroom setting, providing an alternative to walking the trail.

Contact:

CER CEROVO Tourist Society
Cerovo 3, Cerovo, 1290 Grosuplje

http://www.drustvo-cer-cerovo.si

https://vodomcevgaj.si/

https://www.facebook.com/TDCerCerovo/