The entire area once consisted of pools used by a nearby sugar refinery to process sugar. The pools were ultimately abandoned and were soon grown over by vegetation. The area began to attract birds, including several rare species.

Realizing the diversity of the emerging ecosystem, activists became determined to protect the area. Graciously, the Dutch owners of the former factory donated the area to DOPPS, a birdwatching organization. Shortly thereafter, the onetime factory pools were officially recognized by the Slovenian government as the Ormož Lagoons Nature Reserve.

Thanks to the environmentalists’ efforts, plants could grow here unhindered, and the former industrial pools were transformed into a system of wetlands, whose life cycle is affected by regular flooding from the nearby Drava River.

The most remarkable feature of the reserve is its abundant bird life, which includes such rare or protected species as Savi’s warbler, the common tern, and the black-headed gull.

Various types of grasses are an important part of the local ecosystem. Researchers discovered that some parts of the reserve are best maintained using natural methods. To help nature out, the authorities decided to introduce water buffalo to the area. Their grazing prevents grass from becoming overgrown and helps to preserve the ecosystem’s natural balance.

Volunteers continue to help transform what could have been a dreary post-industrial wasteland into one of Slovenia’s most interesting ecosystems.