Low Tatras National Park

The Low Tatras National Park (Slovak Národný park Low Tatras, abbreviation NAPANT ) is a Slovak national park in the center of the country. It covers the main ridge and the foothills of the Low Tatras and part of the Kozie chrbty in the Northeast and Starohorské Hills to the southwest and is over 100 km in length extends between the valleys of the south Hron and Vah in the north.

The seat of government is located in Banská Bystrica.

History

The National Park was by decree of the Government of the SSR 114/78 Zb. founded on 14 June 1978. The area of ​​810.95 km ² comprised core zone and 1239.90 km ² protected area, a total of 2050.85 km ² and was by far the largest national park in both Slovakia and Czechoslovakia. In 1997, the boundaries were changed and the park on 728.42 km ² core area plus 1101.62 km ² protected area, reduced total 1830.04 km ², but remains in case the protection zone is counted, after all, the largest national park in Slovakia ( the core zone of the Tatra National Park covers 738 km ²). So he makes up 3.73% of the total area of Slovakia.

Geography

The Low Tatras National Park completely covers both the main ridge and foothills of the Low Tatras. The core zone is divided into two parts: One part includes the Ďumbierske Tatry (named after the mountain Dumbier ) between the passes Donovaly and Čertovica and the other the Kráľovohorské Tatry (named after the mountain Kráľova hoľa ) between the passes Čertovica and Vernár. The protection zone covers the area around the pass Čertovica, on the Kozie chrbty north of the community Liptovská Teplička, the landscape Horehronské podolie (or Horehronie ) north of the river Hron of Telgárt to Slovenská Ľupča, a part of the mountain Starohorské Hills ( Špania Dolina, Stare Hory ) and part of the Podtatranská kotlina (sub - Tatra boiler ) is approximately south of the Waag and the Liptauer reservoir. The cities of Banská Bystrica, Brezno, Liptovsky Hradok, Liptovsky Mikulas and Ružomberok lie just outside the protection zone. Administratively, the south side, the north side is in the political district Banskobystrický kraj ( Banská Bystrica and Brezno Okresy ), majority Žilinský ( Okresy Ružomberok and Liptovsky Mikulas ) with smaller parts in the Prešov Region ( Poprad Okres ).

From the main ridge to the north pull long side combs, while the mountain slopes significantly steeper to the south. Only in the area around the mountain Dumbier the northern and southern slopes are nearly equal in length. The most famous valley is the Demänovská ( Demänová Valley), where the community is Demänovská Dolina, which includes the well-known ski resort Jasna.

The mountain Kráľova hoľa is known as the "roof" of the Slovak river system because four rivers at the foot of the mountain or in the immediate vicinity of spring: the Waag (via the source river Vah Čierny ), the Hornád, the Hnilec and the Hron. Other major rivers are the Boca, the Demänovka and Revúca on the northern slopes and the Bystrianka on the southern slope. In contrast to the Tatra here are very few mountain lakes ( Slow PLESA ), an example is the Vrbické Pleso in Jasna.

The karst landscape of the Low Tatras allowed the formation of hundreds of large or small caves; alone in Demänová Valley more than 170 caves have been discovered to date. There are Demänovska the Ice Cave ( Demänovska Cave ) and the Demänovská Cave Sloboda ( Freedom Demänovska cave ). Both are part of a larger, about 35 km long cave system to the river Demänovka. But on the south side developed several caves; an example is the publicly accessible Bystrianska Cave ( Cave Bystráer ) at Bystrá, in the protection zone of the national park.

Flora and Fauna

The area of the National Park can be roughly divided into three vegetation zones: forest, meadow and hillside. Approximately 90 % of the national parks are covered by forest, which is divided into two stages: In the deeper layers beech, fir grow around Brezno also oaks. From 1,150 m n.m ( northern slope ) / 1,300 m N.M. ( South slope ) N.M. to the treeline at 1,500 m come before large spruce forests. The original far-reaching coppice stage today covers only a tiny fraction (0.3%) of the national park. In contrast, in the upper height levels up to 2,000 m nm alpine meadows widespread, the hole locally, called Sing hola. Especially around the mountains Salatín ( 1,630 m nm), Krakova hola ( 1,751 m nm) and Ohnište ( 1,533 m nm) grows a rich flora. These include in particular the following: Slavic Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla Slavica ), alpine buttercup (Ranunculus alpestris ), edelweiss ( Leontopodium alpinum), Clusius Gämswurz ( doronicum clusii ) and Ice Age Relic White Mountain Avens ( Dryas octopetala ). A special case are the slopes in the northern valleys, in particular Demänovka and Salatína. In addition to the spruce trees grow here even some of the original pine forest and maples.

Large forests form a suitable habitat for various mammals. Typical representatives are deer, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, wolf, fox and others. As a symbol of the national park applies, however, the brown bear. Above the tree line, it is possible to encounter rare animal species, with the wildlife in the higher elevations that is similar in the Tatras - Examples include the golden eagle and alpine marmots. A newer species is the Tatra chamois, which has been artificially introduced only in the early 1970s of the High Tatras. Today, about 100 chamois live in the Low Tatras.

Special Conservation

• Prírodné rezervácie (PR, nature reserves )

• Národné Prírodné rezervácie (NPR, National Nature Reserves )

• Prírodná pamiatka (PP, natural monuments )

• Národná prírodná pamiatka (NPP, National Nature Monuments)

• Chránený areál (CHA, protected area )