High-stem meadow orchards are an important element of the traditional cultural landscape, providing not only production but also ecological, landscape and cultural functions. The diploma thesis examines high-stem meadow orchards in the Municipality of Velike Lašče and analyses their spatial distribution, which is closely connected with physical- and human geography factors, such as relief, soil, population and traditional land use. Furthermore, it presents their spatial distribution, orchard characteristics (grass cover, planting patterns, size, etc.), the representation of fruit species and varieties, traditional fruit processing methods, and the role of fruit-drying facilities in the local territory and rural community. The research is based on the analysis of data from the slovenian Register of Agricultural Holdings (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, 2026) and fieldwork. In the Municipality of Velike Lašče, 219 high-stem meadow orchards are registered. Field analysis has shown that official records do not fully reflect the actual situation in the landscape, as significantly more fruit trees and smaller orchards are present in the field than are recorded in the register. The results confirm that high-stem meadow orchards remain an important natural conservation, landscape and cultural element of the Municipality of Velike Lašče.
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