The purpose of this degree paper was to determine, using a short survey, the degree of awareness among the population of Bled about foreign invasive species in Slovenia and their relationship to zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in Lake Bled. The inhabitants of Bled and its surroundings were divided into three groups: divers from local diving clubs, boatmen and other inhabitants of Bled and its surroundings. The first two groups are professionally connected with the lake and partly financially dependent, while the third group of respondents does not have such links. It turns out that divers and boatmen possess more knowledge of the zebra mussel and foreign species than the other inhabitants of Bled and its surroundings. The degree of knowledge was increased, by activities within the community aimed to inform the interested public through lectures and also by enhanced Slovenian media coverage on the topic. In connection to the media, we found that different age groups draw information from various sources (printed sources, television, the Internet, personal communication). These findings would be worth using in campaigns for preventing the spread of foreign species. It turns out in fact that a number of respondents, while being aware of local issues related to invasive species, have no real idea what native and non-native species are and why some non-native species are invasive.
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