Kolpa ZAVEDNO

KOLPA ZAVEDNO - the app for guided boating

The Kolpa River is one of Slovenia's most preserved, warm, and distinctive rivers. Its tranquillity, relatively clean water, and rich biodiversity are the reasons why more and more people visit it every year. The increasing pressures, which occur already in the spring months when nature is at its most alive, pose a growing challenge to both nature and man.

Lead partner Landscape Park Kolpa in cooperation with partners Proteus Association Bela Krajina, and GTM Gostinjstvo in turizem d.o.o. Metlika, in the framework of the LAS project "Kolpa: Respect, Nature, Experience" or "Kolpa ZAVEDNO" and the external contractor ARSO, developed a mobile application. The purpose of the app is to guide visitors, especially boaters, towards a more responsible, targeted, and environmentally friendly use of the Kolpa River, especially during the spring months when fish spawn. The Fishermen's Association of Slovenia, the Fishermen's Family Črnomelj and Metlika, and local river experts have assisted the park staff and members of the Proteus Association in the expert identification of the locations of sensitive areas. The inventory is based on field work, river observation, and years of knowledge of the water area. The inventoried locations of sensitive areas (spawning, nesting, shoaling, locations of important flora and fauna species) and recommended crossings were georeferenced and integrated into the digital map application using Google mapping solutions. This is the first solution of its kind in Slovenia that seeks to link tourism, recreation, and nature conservation in a practical, user-friendly way.

The app is downloaded to the mobile phone via an access code, and its functionality allows the app to work even when the phone is stored in a waterproof barrel or protective bag. The app uses satellite navigation (GPS) to track location, so its basic operation is not dependent on access to mobile data or a mobile signal. When approaching environmentally sensitive areas, it informs the user with an acoustic warning of their current location, the proximity of the sensitive area, and a recommended, minimally disturbing location to cross the dam or continue navigation.

The project is based on a simple realisation: not all the challenges of the Kolpe River can be solved overnight. Climate change, prolonged droughts, higher water temperatures, stream regulation, decaying dams, invasive species, and the increasing pressure of mass tourism are all having an impact on the river's condition. Most of these processes are being driven by the local community and the Landscape Park Kolpa Public change on their own. But we can change our relationship to the space we are given and do NOT take for granted!

That is why the app Kolpa ZAVEDNO is first and foremost an awareness-raising tool. It aims to show the user that the river is not just a place for summer fun, but a sensitive habitat for many organisms. If a small detour when crossing dams can prevent the destruction of spawning grounds or reduce stress for animals, it is a step in the right direction.

The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Slovenia under the LEADER/CLD approach.

Download the app using the following link.