Záhorie Protected Landscape Area

The protected landscape area Zahorie (Slovak Chranena krajinná oblasť Zahorie ) is a conservation area in the far west of Slovakia, in the traditional, non-administrative landscape Zahorie. It is the first major long-range nature reserve in a lowland Slovakia. The 275.22 km ² area is situated in the political districts Bratislavský kraj ( Okres Malacky ) and Trnavský kraj ( Okres Senica ) and consists of two quite distinct parts: one along the border river March and one in the lowlands Borská nížina.

The seat of government is located in Malacky.

Geography, Flora and Fauna

Hereinafter, the separate parts are treated separately. Seen Geomorphologically are both part of the Záhorská nížina, but differ from the point of view of nature.

Western part along the Morava

The western part takes a strip of land on the left bank of the Morava (border to Austria ), a, between the villages Kúty in the north, only just upstream from the mouth of the River Thaya, and Stupava in the south, just before the outskirts of Bratislava. The communities Suchohrad, Záhorská Ves and Vysoká pri Morave are within the protected landscape. The landscape consists of riparian forests and floodplains, complemented by numerous canals, lakes and other wetlands. Here are the biggest Flößwiesen Slovakia. Since 1948-1989 was the Iron Curtain at the March, vast areas along the former border between Czechoslovakia and Austria were not or difficult to access. Thus large parts are still preserved in jungle -like state.

This variety of habitats is of course reflected in the diverse flora and fauna. On the meadows are far more than 700 species of vascular plants known. It is characterized by a high incidence of clematis ( Clematis integrifolia type ). From trees grow here, for example, the black poplar or the Narrow- ash. Significance is the area along the March for various migratory bird species. There are also numerous crustacean, mollusc, amphibian and fish species. A kind of " symbol " for the conservation area is the European beaver, which spread in the 1980s by Austria out after the species was extinct in the past.

Northeast part in the Borská nížina

The northeast part lies between the towns Závod, Bory Jur, Šaštín - Stráže and Lakšárska Nová Ves and is bordered to the east by the military area Zahorie. The area is formed by wind-blown sand and sand dunes, which arose in the course of aeolian transport. Thus, it is in Slovakia to a unique phenomenon. Accordingly, the region is in contrast to the more March areas dry and a thin flow system, as a large part of the precipitate to the substrate "disappears". To stop the natural drifts of sand pines are here since the 17th century large areas planted, which also confer the geomorphological lowland Borská nížina his name. Because of the special soil conditions grows only a small number of tree species, such as pines and oaks besides, in addition, also use symbiosis with the fungi. During hot and dry layers antlion and Hoopoes occur. The pine forests offer a good diet base for Nightjar, Woodlark and bats.

Special Conservation

• Národné Prírodné rezervácie (NPR, National Nature Reserves )

• Prírodné rezervácie (PR, nature reserves )

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