Štiavnické vrchy Protected Landscape Area

The protected landscape area Štiavnica Hills (Slovak Chranena krajinná oblasť Štiavnica Hills ) is a nature reserve in the middle of Slovakia. It covers both the mountains Štiavnica Hills ( German Selmec mountains ) and lies almost entirely in the political district Banskobystrický kraj ( Banská Štiavnica Okresy, Krupina, Zvolen, Žarnovica and Žiar nad Hronom ), with smaller parts in Nitriansky kraj ( Okres Levice ). With its extension of 776.30 km ² it is the largest conservation area of Slovakia and Slovak unlike many nature reserves here are not only nature, but also associated with the historic settlement and mining Monuments Object of protection.

The seat of government is located in Banská Štiavnica, which lies in the middle of the reserve.

Geography

The nature reserve is located in the mountains Štiavnica Hills, this is an old, belonging to the Slovak Central Mountains extinct volcanic mountains. The majority of it is shaped by several generations of affected by erosion of the Tertiary stratovolcanoes, with locally occurring basalt rock. The center of the well 2000 km ² large stratovolcano of Štiavnica was located in the vicinity of Banská Štiavnica. After the end of volcanic activity, erosion formed on the landscape, and therefore some deposits of shale, limestone and dolomite are present in the midst of the volcanic rock. The highest part of the mountain forms the Sitnianska Highlands, with the highest mountain Sitno ( 1009 m nm). A depression is located on the site of the former caldera of the stratovolcano of Štiavnica. There is the dominant feature of the mountain Kalvária ( 749 m nm).

The area of the PLA is bounded by the municipalities approximately on the line Ladomerská Vieska - Hronská Dúbrava - Krupina - Hontianske Nemce - Bátovce - Pukanec - Tlmače - Žarnovica - Ladomerská Vieska, major municipalities within the region, in addition to Banská Štiavnica Banská Bela, Hodrusa - Hamre, Štiavnické Bane and Svaty Anton.

The area belongs to the catchment area of Hron and Ipeľ. From the mountains to flow mostly only small streams: important rivers are the Jasenica, Sikenica, Štiavnica and Teplá. Natural lakes, there are very few; the only known is the Žakýlske Pleso at Podhorie. More shape the landscape is the system of artificial lakes, called tajchy (singular tajch, German pond). They were originally created in the 18th century in order to minimize the risk of water ingress in the mines and low at the same time to gain energy for the water supplied weak area. At that time, they built a total of 60 of these lakes. Today there are still 23 (or 24) in place and mostly serve the recreational activities.

Flora and Fauna

About two-thirds of the PLA area is covered. In the central depression are largely deforested areas around the former mining works, but are almost completely surrounded by a forest ring. There usually grow fir, spruce and pine trees. At the more exposed south-facing positions, the northern boundary of the distribution of oaks and maples Tartar Steppe runs. In the woods but you can also find tree species that originate even from North America. This goes back to the establishment of a Forest Institute in 1807, which in 1824 became part of the Mining and Forestry Academy. A further concentration of alien species can be found in and around the Arboretum of Kysihýbel ( between Banská Štiavnica and Banský Studenec ).

Due to the climatic characteristics here grow both heat- loving plants, of which for some is the northern limit of their distribution here, as well as mountain plants from the Carpathians. Some examples of plants: Hair esparto, Crown Campion and Biting Stonecrop from the heat- loving plants, partly Large anemone, multicolored Safrane, in the northern locations cranberries, blueberries and Trifoliate Waldsteinien.

From wildlife birds with species such as spotted eagle, buzzards and tawny owls as well as many songbird species are represented. One of the major predators include the lynx and wildcats. Conspicuous in the area include butterflies, such as Swallowtail and Scarce Swallowtail, live from the insects here the endangered European Mantis, Stag Beetle and Alpenbock. In the abandoned mine tunnels several species of bats found their new home, for example, greater horseshoe bat, the lesser horseshoe bat, greater mouse-eared bat or dwarf.

Special protection

• Národné Prírodné rezervácie (NPR, National Nature Reserves )

• Prírodné pamiatky (PP, natural monuments )

• Prírodné rezervácie (PR, nature reserves )

• Chránené areály (CHA, Protected Areas )

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