Forestry Supervision

Forestry supervisiors of the Slovenian Forest Service warn visitors about actions that harm forests.

In addition all employees of the Slovenian Forest Service inform forest visitors and familiarize them with the rules of conduct in forests. Their priority of forest supervisiory is raising awareness. Forestry supervisors also raise visitors’ awareness of inappropriate conduct through dialogue, the distribution of forestry supervision leaflets, and informative notices on the rules governing driving in natural areas.

We particularly emphasize the responsible and moderate harvesting of forest fruits, as well as responsible driving in forest areas in compliance with regulations.

Forest fruits must be harvested in moderate quantities and in a manner that does not damage the plants. The use of motor vehicles is restricted to transport infrastructure (public roads and unclassified roads) used for public road traffic. In doing so, it is necessary to comply with the prescribed forest road usage regimes, which are clearly marked with traffic signs. Vehicles may only be parked in the forest in designated parking areas or other suitable surfaces. It is necessary to comply with regulations governing road traffic, ensure that forest transport routes remain passable, and avoid obstructing forestry work. Cycling and horseback riding are permitted only on marked forest skid trails or other designated paths.

The Slovenian Forest Service performs forest supervision on the basis of Article 77.a of the Forest Act.

Forestry supervision in numbers

Since 2023, when the Slovenian Forest Service began to perform forest supervision on a larger scale, more than 11,149 forestry supervisions have been carried out, during which more than 5,244 violations were detected (data up to and including 2025). The majority of violations involved driving motor vehicles in forests or in the natural environment. In 2,453 cases, offenders were informed of the rules of conduct in forest areas and advised on how to act in the future. In certain cases, however, the Forestry Inspection Service
or another competent misdemeanour authority was notified of the violations.

Video: Forestry supervision

Leaflet: Respect the forest and its inhabitants

Forestry Inspection Service

Forestry inspectors supervise the implementation of the legal provisions of more than ten substantive regulations relating in any way to the forest or forest area. The most important tasks are:

• supervising all forestry work and the documentation for the execution of such work;
• supervising the activities of contractors, forest owners, and other users of the forest and forest area;
• supervising and monitoring forest protection measures;
• supervising the traceability of forest wood products;
• verifying compliance with minimum requirements for forestry contractors;
• monitoring the implementation of the general sections of forest management and silvicultural plans prepared by the Slovenia Forest Service;
• taking action in cases of illegal acts or acts that contravene executive regulations.

Police

Forestry supervisiors also cooperate with the Police.

In addition to species diversity, renewable energy sources, and raw materials, forests offers opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and other activities. Free access to forests is an important social value in Slovenia. However, certain restrictions must be observed in forests, and above all, we must ensure that we leave forests as we found it.

When visiting and spending time in forests, we respect the rules of forest etiquette:

• When I visit the forest, I am a guest of the forest and its owner.
• The forest is my friend and I treat it with respect.
• I respect instructions on appropriate behaviour in nature included in regulations

and on information boards or obtained from foresters and forest owners

All rules of forest etiquette and related materials are available on the SFS website.

If you received a notice shown below, it means that your vehicle was noticed outside of the designated traffic area. The notice that you got has no financial consequences. It is information about where to drive in forests in Slovenia to awoid violating the law.

As a general rule, driving is not permitted outside of the roads in forests. To be on the safe side only drive on the roads and park where it is allowed with a sign.

You can also check »pregledovalnik« on this link to see where the actual roads are. It is available in English.

Forestry supervision is carried out by forestry supervisors of the Slovenian Forest Service (SFS) in cooperation with the Forestry Inspection Service. All SFS employees contribute to raising awareness among forest visitors about responsible behaviour and the protection of forest areas. Forestry supervision is organised within the SFS Forestry and Nature Conservation Supervision Service.

What does the area of forest supervision cover?

The scope of forestry supervision activities is determined by Article 77.a of the Forest Act (Official Gazette of the RS, No. 30/93 and subseq., hereinafter: ZG), namely:

• identifying the commission of acts that show signs of violations regarding the reduction of productivity of a stand or production capacity of a site, stability or sustainability of a forest or threats to its existence, purpose or functions, which is caused, inter alia, by cutting through, scoring or removing bark, burning trees or shrubs, removal and poisoning of soil and posing threats to animal dwellings;
• identifying the commission of acts that show signs of violations regarding limitations on and prohibition of gathering animals, fruits, mushrooms and herbs;
• identifying the commission of acts that show signs of violations regarding ecreational gathering of mushrooms, fruits, herbs and their parts;
• identifying the commission of acts that show signs of violations regarding driving in forests;
• identifying the commission of acts that show signs of violations regarding reducing or preventing the use of forest thoroughfares or increasing the costs of their maintenance;
• warning persons of practices harmful to the forest.

Forestry supervisors and other employees also monitor all other unauthorized interventions and activities in the forest and forest area, reporting them to the competent inspection services as part of the public forestry service's tasks. These are mostly violations related to forest and nature conservation issues. From the field of forestry (e.g., grazing in the forest); illegal waste dumps; burning in nature in places or at times when it is not permitted; camping outside designated areas, or staying overnight in an unauthorized manner; etc.

Forest supervision activities are primarily carried out by informing, raising awareness, and warning forest visitors regarding compliance with regulations in the field of forestry. Emphasis is placed on rasing visitors' awareness of the rules of conduct that must be respected. An important part of forestry supervision involves submitting proposals for the initiation of misdemeanour proceedings and reports to the competent misdemeanour authorities.. This applies especially in cases of gross and obvious violations of forestry legislation, where an act indicating the commission of a misdemeanour can be identified in the field.

Which violations are SFS employees particularly attentive to when carrying out forest supervision activities?

When carrying out forest supervision activities, SFS employees are particularly attentive to the following violations:

• restrictions and prohibitions on the harvesting of animals, fruits, mushrooms, and plants;
• driving in the forest;
• excessive use of forest transport routes;
• reduction of stand growth, site fertility, stability, or sustainability of the forest, or endangering its existence, purpose, or functions, caused, among other things, by hacking, peeling, girdling, or burning trees and shrubs, removing or poisoning soil, and endangering animal habitats;
• use of forest roads in violation of the established usage regime;
• restrictions on the use of mountain trails;
• forest road regimes.

Driving in the forest is prohibited off forest roads and public and unclassified roads.

As an exception, driving is permitted on forest transport routes and skid trails for the purposes of timber harvesting and hauling, silvicultural and protection work, wildlife management, national defense needs, and the protection and rescue of people, animals, or property.

Cycling and horseback riding are also permitted on other marked paths designated in regional plans.

As forest visitors, motor vehicle drivers must also pay attention to forest road usage regimes and use forest roads in accordance with forests road usage regimes established by the SFS in cooperation with forest owners. Forest road regimes are marked with traffic signs.

For personal use, an individual may gather a maximum of 2 kg of mosses, mushrooms, and fruits (chestnuts, blueberries, raspberries, wild strawberries, cranberries, etc.) and a maximum of 1 kg of herbaceous plants (e.g., wild garlic) per day. Protected plants must not be gathered.

Forest fruits should be gathered in a way that does not damage the plants. Gather them in moderate quantities and only as much as you will actually use.

Additional information regarding forestry supervision activities performed by SFS employees can be obtained at the e-mail address: spostujmo.gozd@zgs.si.

Forestry supervisors do not conduct misdemeanour proceedings, nor do they impose fines or sanctions. In cases of serious violations in the field of forestry or nature conservation legislation, forestry supervisors notify the Forestry Inspection Service or another competent misedemeanour authority.

Forestry supervision: The field of forest supervision is regulated by the Forest Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 30/93 and subseq.). Forestry supervision activities are carried out by SFS employees under teh authority of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Slovenia.

Forestry supervisors carry out information, awareness-raising, and warning activities for forest visitors in relation to violations of the provisions of Article 77 a of the Forest Act. Forestry supervisors do not impose fines or sanctions and do not stop or seize motor vehicles. They appropriately notify the competent misdemeanour authorities and inspection services of any serious violations detected. Forestry supervision is carried out in forests and forest areas.

Nature conservation supervision: The field of nature conservation/direct supervision in nature is regulated by the Nature Conservation Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 96/04 and subseq.). Direct supervision activities in nature are carried out by qualified nature protection wardens under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planningof the Republic of Slovenia.

Nature protection wardens may stop drivers, request documents, and/or seize motor vehicles and objects used or intended for committing a misdemeanour, or resulting from a misdemeanour. In the performance of their duties, they may establish the identity of individuals and document facts related to the violation committed. In certain specifically defined cases, they may collect a fine on the spot where the misdemeanour was committed. They are employed by the administrations of nature parks and reserves.