Little Carpathians Protected Landscape Area

The protected landscape area Malé Karpaty (Slovak Chranena krajinná Malé Karpaty oblasť ) is a conservation area in the west of Slovakia between Bratislava and Nové Mesto nad Váhom, along the main ridge of the Little Carpathians ( Malé Karpaty Slovak ). It was proclaimed in 1976 and represents the entire mountain of the Devínske Karpaty - with the mountain Devinska Kobyla at Devin (district of Bratislava) - about the Pezinské Karpaty and the Brezovské Karpaty to end up in the Čachtické Karpaty - at Čachtice and Nové Mesto nad Váhom - under protection. The area is mostly in the districts Bratislavský kraj ( Okresy Bratislava III, Bratislava IV, Malacky and Pezinok ) and Trnavský kraj ( Okresy Piešťany, Trnava and Senica ). In the northeast part of a small part in the Trenčín Region ( Okresy Myjava and Nové Mesto nad Váhom ).

The seat of government is located in the town of Modra.

Geography

The Little Carpathians are part of the Inner Western Carpathians and rise between the Zahorie lowlands in the west and the Slovak lowlands to the east and southeast. So you are the " green lungs " in the otherwise largely deforested lowlands of south-west Slovakia. Geologically it is a core Mountains. Despite rather low level compared to other mountain ranges of the Western Carpathians, the elevations in the vicinity of the levels look quite striking. The highest mountains are called Záruby ( 768 m nm), Vysoká ( 754 m nm) and Vápenná ( 752 m nm). From the main part of two small parts are separated: at the southern end of the floor of the Devinska Kobyla, at the north end of the mountain part Čachtické Karpaty.

Two communities located entirely within the protected landscape area: Buková Dobra Voda and. The community is located just inside Píla.

At the southern end of the conservation area flows through the Theban gate at the Austrian- Slovak border the Danube. Due to the main ridge, the watershed between the basins of the Morava and Waag runs. Only the Bach Vydrica in the south opens directly into the Danube.

Flora and Fauna

In the mountains are exclusively deciduous forests; most houses, common ash, maple and lime are represented. From the non-native trees here grow chestnuts. In the warm climate are often dominated by heat-loving plants, such as pheasant's eye, Gold Beard Grass, Large anemone and Hainburger spring carnation. Among the species that grow only here in Slovakia belong Hader sheet Strauchkronwicke and rock - buckthorn.

To date, more than 700 butterfly and 20 species of ants are known. The bird life is quite rich in species: are represented as black stork, Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, eagle owl, long-eared owl and nightjar. The Saker Falcon is here most widespread in the whole Slovakia. To the numerous ruins you can find rock thrush and wheatear.

Tourism

The conservation area is considered the only long-range nature reserve Slovakia with far developed viticulture, especially in the eastern foothills. The wine region is called Malokarpatská vinohradnícka oblasť, and the wine producers joined for better marketing in the Malokarpatská Vinná cesta ( Small Carpathian Wine Road ) together. The southern end of the Protected Landscape Area overlaps with the Bratislavskı Lesný park, a forest town of Bratislava, with many popular areas such as Koliba or Železná studienka. Very popular are also Cottages ( Slow Sg chata ) in the entire area, such as in Modra.

In the protected area there are castles, in many cases already ruins, like the Biely Kamen castle at Jur, castle Cerveny Kamen at Častá or Smolenice Castle in Smolenice.

Thanks to a very dense network of footpaths are hikes throughout the mountains possible. Through the mountains of remote hiking trail runs E8. In addition, the mountain has many caves, but currently only the Drina cave in Smolenice is operated as a show cave.

Special Conservation

• Národné Prírodné rezervácie (NPR, National Nature Reserves )

• Národné Prírodné pamiatky (NPP, National Nature Monuments)

• Prírodné pamiatky (PP, natural monuments )

• Prírodné rezervácie (PR, nature reserves )

• Chránené areály (CHA, Protected Areas )

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