Nature Conservation Supervision
Conservationist supervision is a direct control in nature over the observance of legal prohibitions and regulations issued for the protected areas. Such control is carried out by inspectors as well as by nature conservation supervisors employed by the Park's management. The qualifications of nature conservation supervisors are verified by the corresponding ministry. The law also enables a voluntary conservationist supervision.
Sečovlje Salina Nature Park (hereinafter referred to as »SSNP«) has 2 nature conservation supervisors. In most foreign countries, the English term »ranger service« is used for this kind of work, while the British who are attempting to bring supervision nearer to the people, prefer the term »countryside officers«. The generally accepted strategy of nature conservation supervision in Slovenia does not copy the functioning of the earlier mentioned rangers who are, by the way, armed (Italy, Czech Republic, USA, African countries), but is nearer to a civilised approach of supervision in a protected area.
This approach concerns the manner of behaviour of nature conservation supervisors, or supervisors in short, as generally known, which is based on Pestalozzi's educational theory. Specifically, supervisors should practice predominantly educational and much less punishing role. Swiss by birth, Pestalozzi was the first to abolish the cane from primary schools of that time. And this is precisely what we are striving for as well. We wish the visitors to understand and accept the manner of behaviour in nature, which would not be based on fear (from shots fired by rangers), but on bad conscience that would be constantly reminding the offenders that they are doing something bad or illegal. From our experience we of course know that in every society a person can be found, who either intentionally or for some other reasons (profiteering, disloyal, destructive …) violates the legal order. This is why the law also envisages punishment, which falls within the competence of nature conservation service.
SSNP's nature conservation supervisors wear characteristic uniforms and NN insignia. In the winter, they are dressed in greyish black uniforms, while in the summer they are identified by wearing beige colours. During their work, they also use suitably marked boats.