The 3rd MMV Conference
[31-10-2006] The International Conference on Monitoring and Management of Visitor Flows in Recreational and Protected Areas took place in Rapperswil (Switzerland) during 13. - 17. September 2006.
This was the third gathering of the conference, the preceding editions having been in Vienna (Austria) in 2002 and Rovaniemi (Finland) in 2004. Management and monitoring of visitor flows in recreational and protected areas are topics of growing importance worldwide. The conference aimed to help answer the questions connected with impacts of tourist use and recreational activities on recreational and protected areas. These questions were discussed by almost 200 scientists and managers from 37 countries. Part of the conference were also exkursions into protected areas at the Greifensee and upper end of Lake Zurich, into the future Nature Experience Park Sihlwald near Zurich and into Swiss National Park in the Engadin.
The 2nd Junior Ranger Camp in Tatra NP
[01-09-2006] The second junior ranger camp was finished 25.8.2006 in mountain hotel Popradske Pleso (Tatra National Park - Slovakia) by delivery of certificates about graduation of programme and uniforms to 20 junior rangers. Camp was organised by Tatra National Park and Biosphere Reserve administration under head of Europarc federation. Main goal of the project, which is running also in others european national parks is create net of teenage people, who will in future actively share on nature conservation, improve image of national park and inform public with problems of nature conservation especially work of rangers in national park.
Unique of this year camp was connection of Polish children from neighbouring Tatra National Park in Poland (TPN) to programme and effort
entrust to junior rangers under supervision part of national park. Participants of project visited during the summer camp educational trail in Morske oko (TPN), climbed on Koprovsky peak and summit Rysy, took courses pointed on safety in mounatins, documentation, nature conservation and international cooperation as well as many practical activities including observation of flora and fauna. Visit of TPN as well as connection of polish junior rangers led toward degradation of language barrier and symbol indicated, that nature of Tatra mountains really don´t known borders. During 5-day camp rised also idea about organisation of next year summer camp in neighbouring Poland. In Tatra National Park supported organisation of junior ranger camp Europarc federation, town Vysoke Tatry and mountain hotel Popradske Pleso. Thanks belongs also to subjects, which help us by realizing activities (TPN, Tatra Mountain Rescue Service - Voluntary corps, Park Snow Vysoke Tatry).
Photographs from closing ceremonial on Popradske Pleso and visiting of TPN.
Ing. Juraj Svajda, Tatra National Park and Biosphere Reserve Administration
The European Day of Parks
The European Day of Parks was launched by the EUROPARC Federation with the aim of raising the profile of Europe's protected areas and generating public support for their aims and work. It was first held in 1999 and a broad variety of events in and about protected areas highlighting the need to protect these have been organised. Events have been celebrated across Europe on an annual basis on and around 24 May, a date that has been chosen to commemorate the creation of Europe's first nine national parks in Sweden on 24 May 1909.
Europe's protected areas are invited to join the celebrations in 2005 and promote the theme "The Challenge of Natura 2000: Conservation and Opportunities for People".
Enviro-educational activities
- schools, clubs, museums in tatranian region
- 23.-27.5.2005, daily
- Martina Prohaczkova
Exhibitions + projections of films
- municipal office Tatranska Strba
- 24.5.2005, 8.00 - 15.00
- Martina Prohaczkova
Day of open doors
- Tatra National Park Administration Tatranska Strba, Liptovsky Mikulas, Tatranska Lomnica
- 24.5.2005, 8.00 - 15.00
- Milan Ballo; Juraj Svajda; Juraj Bobula
Field excursion
- Ziarska valley, Mengusovska valley, Kezmarska Biela voda valley
- 28.5.2005, 9.00; 8.30; 7.00
- Pavol Gavlak; Pavol Lenko; Juraj Ksiazek
Presentation of Tatra National Park
- Information Centre of Tatra National Park Pribylina
- 29.5.2005, 10.00 - 15.00
- Juraj Svajda
Tatras National Park (Tatransky narodny park)
The Tatra Mountains are the highest part of the Carpathians, one of the biggest mountain ranges in Europe, stretching in a large bow-shape from the Czech Republic in the west to Romania in the southeast. Not many other European mountain ranges are still home to the whole range of large European predators such as bear, lynx, wild cat, marten, wolf and fox. You can still find here the large remains of virgin mountain forests in Europe.
The Tatra Mountains are a true treasure of the Carpathians. They are not only the highest and the most beautiful, but also the most visited part of the whole mountain range. Without warning, the mountains rise steeply from the surrounding landscape with wide basins, which not so long ago were covered by dense forests. Standing on the peak of Mt. Krivan on a clear day, you can see from one end of the Tatras to the other.
The Tatra National Park is a unique place where several significant types of ecological communities are found together. The number of described plant species alone, exceeds 1.300; thereby making the National Park an important centre of European and World biodiversity. For flora and fauna, the Tatra Mountains are a border-zone. A characteristic feature of the Tatras is the so-called vegetational gradation: the species composition changes with increasing elevation and the vegetation can be divided in quite distinct vegetation zones.
The visitors to the Tatras realised this uniqueness long ago. It was here where the first European cross-border national park was founded: In 1948 the Tatra National Park (Tatransky narodny park) on the Slovak side and in 1954 the Tatra National Park (Tatranski Park Narodowy) on the Polish side. UNESCO has acknowledged the uniqueness of the Tatras and accepted them into the family of international biosphere reserves in 1993. As a result, the Tatra National Parks of 1130 km2 have become a model of international cooperation in the field of the protection of the natural environment.
