Grassland orchards are a significant and indispensable part of rural cultural landscape in Kozjanski Park. They present an important habitat and also an opportunity for modern, sustainable and ecological farming that originates from tradition, preserves the identity and offers brand new economic opportunities. Orchard management should be in accordance with the aim of nature protection. It should increase the quality of life for local inhabitants. We should be able to offer some healthy fruit or fruit products to every visitor.

We wish to include the exceptional habitats of grassland orchards into the process of active and sustainable management within the protected area. The consumption of fruit grown in grassland orchards, their maintenance and additional planting are the elements of sustainable rural development having positive effects on the ecological equilibrium and the economy of life.

The aims of our project named The revival of old grassland orchards in Kozjanski park are the following:

• to keep the cultural landscape in its traditional form
• to ensure the preservation of orchards as rare and essential ecological niches
• to protect the genetic diversity within the particular orchard
• to ensure the protection of all documented old sorts and to preserve the genetic material for the future
• to keep a record of all existing grassland orchards
• to stop further degradation of grassland orchards
• to offer cooperation to the producers that are able to see their great market opportunity under the common brand Sožitje (Coexistence)