Reforestation efforts have started in the Kras region in western Slovenia after the worst wildfire season on record destroyed more than 3,600 hectares of forest there.

This year alone 18,000 saplings will be planted by professionals and volunteers, with several hundred volunteers expected to help.

Dozens of companies and organisations planted the first trees on 25 November to show their long-term commitment to the reforestation project.

Boštjan Košiček from the Slovenia Forest Service said that the trees must be planted as soon as possible before scrub starts growing. The planting is focused on areas that burned down completely since the risk of erosion and scrub growth is the highest there.

The municipalities Miren-Kostanjevica, Renče-Vogrsko and Komen had founded a joint centre for the restoration of Kras and signed a contract with the foundation Vrabček to raise funds. So far they have raised more than €190,000.

These donations will help finance the reforestation and a nursery will be built for indigenous broadleaves.

The entire restoration project is valued by the Slovenia Forest Service at €47 million.

Given the scale of destruction, the effort is expected to take sever years.