Have you been to Slovenia before? If not, you should take the opportunity to do some sightseeing before or after the workshop. It has wonderful natural and historical attractions: huge caves (including the world’s largest underground canyon), other karst features such as disappearing lakes, pristine rivers, a diverse flora and fauna, lots of castles, wineries galore…….
A good place to stay, close to many of the best attractions is Lipizzaner Lodge (run by friends of mine, Chris and Hanna). They have a large compendium on their web site of places in Slovenia to visit and can make lots of suggestions tailored to your interests. They are in a small village to the southwest of Ljubljana; excellent food based on local products; and they rent out E-bikes.
If you want to try to see bears – and other wildlife – a good person to go with is Petra Draškovič. She is a great photographer (and friend of Nik), has a PhD and is based in one of the most forested parts of the country (Kočevsko) in south-east Slovenia.
Paul Veenvliet (another friend) also runs nature tours, based in the Notranjska region, to the south of Ljubljana. He also knows a lot about invasive species and will tailor tours to your interests.
The 19th International Wild Flower festival is in Bohinj, not far from Lake Bled. Not sure of dates for 2025, but usually in the last week of May and first week of June. At that time of year, just head up onto any of the hillsides for amazingly florally-diverse pastures.
A great tour is to do a loop via Vršič Pass (1611 m elevation). This takes you around the side of Mount Triglav (2864 m, within Slovenia’s only national park) and through the lovely Soča valley.
INTERNATIONAL ECOLOGY DEBATE 