PANOVEC

The Panovec Urban Forest, which covers an area of 380 hectares, is located south of Nova Gorica and connects to Gorizia to the west.

The western edge of Panovec ends at the Kostanjevica hill, where a monastery and a church are located. The toponym Panovec, first mentioned in 1001, was associated with the territories of Solkan and Gorizia.

The forest is an area of great natural and historical importance, known for its rich variety of tree species, including non-native trees systematically introduced in the past.

Along the northern edge of Panovec flows the Corno stream, a watercourse that originates beneath Mount St. Gabriel. It is the only flowing waterway that passes through the city of Nova Gorica. The stream is not only an important ecological axis, connecting various habitats and supporting life in the lowland forest areas, but it is also a green corridor, a transition strip between the built-up area of the city and the forest itself. The ecological corridor along the Corno stream resumes, after a break, in the park located on the Italian side.

The Panovec vegetation and the Corno stream create a natural environment crucial for regulating the microclimate, safeguarding biodiversity, including aquatic and riparian organisms, and improving the quality of life in the cross-border urban area.