Established in 1999, the 206.5 sq km Kozjansko Park stretches along the Sotla River, from the border with Dolenjska and Bizeljsko in the south to Podčetrtek in the north. Named a Unesco biosphere reserve in 2010, the park's forests and dry meadows harbour a wealth of flora and fauna, notably butterflies, reptiles and birds, including corncrakes, kingfishers and storks. There are a number of trails, including educational ones and the circular 32km-long Podsreda Trail (Pešpot Podsreda), which ends at the wonderfully preserved Podsreda Castle.
