The colourful Pohorje grasslands, where cattle graze, are covered by a characteristic grass known locally as volk. While the word usually means “wolf” in Slovenian, here it refers to a grass that is characteristic of Pohorje’s mountain meadows.
Among these grassy expanses, bright flowers such as arnica, orange hawkweed, Pannonian gentian, and bearded bellflower are hidden. Even wild orchids find their place in this rich landscape.
These diverse grasslands are home to a wide variety of life: grasshoppers, reptiles, ants, wild bees, bumblebees, butterflies, and small mammals. Centuries ago, Pohorje farmers cleared vast forests to create small farmsteads known as celki, forming meadows and pastures locally called planje.
Although many of these grasslands began to become overgrown after the Second World War due to changes in agriculture, conservation efforts have helped restore them. Today, they once again form species-rich and visually striking flower meadows dominated by volk (Nardus stricta), delighting visitors seeking peaceful walks and nature exploration.
In autumn, heath-covered summits and steep slopes take on a special name—resave (heathlands). Wild blueberries and lingonberries, an important food source for species such as the capercaillie, ripen here during the summer. Together, meadows and heathlands significantly contribute to the biodiversity of the Pohorje Regional Park.