Mozirje
Europe's earliest forest code (1406) regulated this valley; now 30% of revenue from tourism as timber floating gives way to heritage museums.
Mozirje takes its name from marshland—an origin story for a town now surrounded by forest. The Upper Savinja Valley remains one of Slovenia's most wooded regions, its economy shaped by timber for centuries. The Ortenburg Forest Code of 1406 represents one of Europe's earliest forest management regulations; sustainable practices here predate modern environmentalism by six centuries.
Felling occurred by axe and hand saw; transport followed water. Logs floated down the Savinja to sawmills during spring floods—seasonal rhythms that dictated economic calendars. The Museum of Forestry and Wood Industry at Vrbovec Castle (Nazarje) preserves this heritage in a 750-year-old structure overlooking the confluence of the Savinja and Dreta rivers.
The timber economy persists but tourism now supplements it. Locals estimate 30% of revenue derives from weekend visitors—hikers, cyclists, and wellness tourists drawn to spectacular alpine scenery and thermal waters. The shift represents common mountain-region adaptation: as mechanical harvesting reduces forestry employment, landscapes that once produced commodities now produce experiences.
By 2026, Mozirje will likely continue this transition. Slovenia covers 58% of its territory with forest—among Europe's highest rates—but employment in forestry declines as productivity rises. The Upper Savinja Valley demonstrates how resource economies survive: by converting productive landscapes into recreational ones.