Digital library

TV Slovenia, in collaboration with the National Institute of Biology, presents a film about one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots: Costa Rica. When the landmass that includes present-day Costa Rica rose from the sea three million years ago, it connected the life of two great continents, igniting one of the hottest biodiversity hotspots on Earth. Nowhere else in the world are there as many habitats as in Costa Rica, a small country bridging North and South America. On a territory just twice the size of Slovenia, it is home to so many species that they represent almost 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Costa Rica’s pristine rainforests are home to 500,000 plant and animal species, including those at the top of the endangered species list, such as the popular ara macao (scarlet macaw). The film takes us through the formation of the tropical rainforest, which hides many wonders in its wilderness, including its exoticism, deadliness, and the incredible ingenuity of plants and animals. The rich life of tropical fauna and flora is explained by the film’s expert collaborators, Prof. Dr. Marina Dermastia from the National Institute of Biology and Prof. Dr. Tom Turk from the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, who have led professional student expeditions to this small paradise on Earth for many years.

TV Slovenia, in collaboration with the National Institute of Biology, presents a film about one of the world's biodiversity hotspots: Costa Rica. Life in Costa Rica has been deeply influenced by the American corporation United Fruit Company (UFC). The deforestation caused by the establishment of banana plantations severely disrupted tropical ecosystems. The relentless pursuit of profit and intensive cattle ranching reduced Costa Rica’s forest cover to a mere 26% of the country, destroyed primary habitats, and fragmented forested areas. When UFC left Costa Rica, it left behind thousands of unemployed workers and hundreds of hectares of abandoned plantations. Costa Ricans converted some of these abandoned plantations into oil palm and pineapple plantations, while the rest were reforested with the help of international non-governmental organizations. They also began connecting islands of secondary tropical forest into biological corridors, allowing plants and animals to migrate and thrive. Tropical ecosystems are not only home to 85% of all living species but also serve as the lungs of our planet. A single tropical tree can absorb nearly 12 kg of carbon dioxide annually. By reforesting devastated areas, Costa Rica is also reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The film takes viewers through the regrowth of tropical forests on abandoned plantations and grasslands, highlighting the key challenges of reforestation at a tropical research station located in the heart of the rainforest in La Gamba.

Valvasor’s The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola, first published in the distant year of 1689 and now translated into Slovenian, is an exceptional historical publication highly regarded across all fields of science, from natural sciences to humanities and social sciences. The third book of The Glory is particularly rich in illustrations and content that appeals to a broader audience, making it widely used. A copy of this work, heavily worn and damaged over the centuries, was entrusted for restoration to the Center for the Conservation and Restoration of Written and Graphic Heritage at the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia. The broadcast, authored by Jadran Sterle and Tugo Štiglic in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Jedert Vodopivec Tomažič from the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, delves into the fascinating discoveries of the material aspects of The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola, explores the technical background of its creation, and demonstrates how such a priceless book can be restored.