BirdLife Slovenia, a non-governmental organisation, has collected €45,000 in a campaign to protect the forest habitat of some of the most endangered forest bird species. It plans to buy 10 hectares of forest, which will be left unmanaged.

More than a thousand individuals and companies have contributed funds to the campaign Guardians of Forest Specialists as part of which a plot of forest will be renatured to contribute to the protection of forests and their biodiversity.

Now that the money has been raised, BirdLife Slovenia is searching for appropriate land.

Its goal is to buy a 10-hectare plot in a forest that is home to some of the target species of forest specialists - boreal owl, the white-backed woodpecker, the western capercaillie, the red-breasted flycatcher and the black stork.

Should this not be possible, it plans to purchase up to five forest eco cells that will improve forest diversity and offer a natural environment for nesting and feeding, and a shelter to forest specialists.

"The campaign launched in mid-March was about raising the awareness that we need more natural forests if we are to preserve our most endangered forest bird species," BirdLife Slovenia said.

Birdlife Slovenia is a non-profit, non-government organisation working for the protection of birds and their habitats, including through scientific research, nature conservation, and education.