Račna Karst Field

[5] Zelenka Creek meanders through the karst field for 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) and is dry during periods of drought.

Sometimes, when the water does not drain quickly enough, a karst lake forms,[5] reaching as far as the first houses in Velika Račna.

Karst hydrology studies have shown that narrow areas in the depths of the cave that are inaccessible to human exploration are a significant factor in the speed of drainage through the sinkholes.

[3] Another characteristic feature of this karst field is depressions (locally known as a močilo, literally 'pond, puddle') that retain water throughout the entire year.

They are important for aquatic flora and fauna, and also function as a water resource for other animals in the karst field during droughts.

Spring flowers include the bog violet (Viola uliginosa), snake's head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris), summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum), spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza spp.

Specimens of marsh lousewort (Pedicularis palustris) and march gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe) are still present but in decline, and due to fertilizer use the oblong-leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia) and white beak-sedge (Rhynchospora alba) have disappeared in the last decade.

The ecological significance of the Račna Karst Field is highlighted by the fact that 12 of the total 19 species of amphibians in Slovenia are also found here.

The ruins of medieval Boštanj Castle stand immediately before entering the Račna Karst Field.

Kopanj Hill, an isolated elevation that commands a strategic position and served as a refuge for the locals in prehistory and during Ottoman incursions, is a popular excursion destination and a cultural site.

The northern slope of Kopanj Hill is the site of Mary's Spring (Slovene: Marijin studenček), which folk belief has endowed with supernatural power.

The village at the foot of the hill, Velika Račna, also has cultural historical value, and features a large Baroque chapel that was created under the administration of Čušperk Castle.