IUCN Management Category V and I and IX (Protected Landscape, Strict Nature Reserve and Biosphere Reserve)

Biogeographical Province 2.11.05 (Middle European Forest)

Geographical Location Situated in the south-east of the Slovak Socialist Republic, some 20km south-west of Kosice stretching 50km between the River Bodva in the east, the River Muran in the west, the Rudo Horic Uplands in the north and the Hungarian border (Aggtelek National Park) in the south. 48°35'N, 20°40'E.

Date and History of Establishment Established as a Protected Landscape Area in 1973 and approved as a Biosphere Reserve in January 1977. The legal status of the region is derived from the law on Nature Protection no. 1/1955 Zb.SNR/Slovak National Council. By virtue of this law, the Slovak Karst was declared a protected landscape area by decree of the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Socialist Republic No. 110 dated August 31 1973. The protected landscape area consists of one large, very irregularly shaped unit separated from a smaller unit to the west by the valley of the river Slana which is itself separated from a yet smaller area to the west by the valley of the river Stitnik. The protected landscape area is surrounded on all sides (except for the boundary where it forms the border with Hungary) by a buffer zone covering 38,334ha. The total area is 74,499ha.

Area The protected landscape are is 36,165ha, the same size as the biosphere reserve.

Land Tenure The Central Management (State Forest Service) administers 75% of the territory, the remaining 25% being under local management (Agricultural Cooperatives, local National Councils, private owners).

Altitude 200-925m (at Matesova Skala)

Physical Features The Slovak Karst is the largest and most outstanding and characteristic karst area in Czechoslovakia, consisting of a system of plateaux, separated by deep canyons of the Slana and Stitnik rivers, and the gorges of Zadiel, Hajske and Miglinec. The Slovak karst is composed of two groups of rock formations of different geomorphology. The subsoil comprises lower Triassic impermeable, weakly resistant, argillaceous and marly slates, variegated grit and sandstone, and marly limestones. In the overlay there are massive layers of predominantly middle Triassic, but also upper Triassic, extremely resistant limestones and dolomites. There are numerous surface and underground karst phenomena, developed in a classic shape over an extensive territory. Some underground passages connect with systems originating in Hungary.

Climate The mean temperature in the lowest altitude, is below -3°C in January and above 19°C in July; these values drop with increasing altitude so that the corresponding figures for the highest altitude sites are about -7°C and 14°C respectively. The annual rainfall amounts to about 620mm in the lowest, and about 1000mm in the highest parts of the tablelands. Depending on elevation, snow cover persists here between 60 and 139 days.

Vegetation Agricultural land covers 7,203ha and forests 27,542ha. The forests are largely hornbeam Carpinus betula, oak Quercus petraeae and beech Fagus sylvatica but include such species as Fraxinus ornus and Acer tataricum especially on the areas occupied by forest-steppes. The flora of the area is among the most interesting of the Western Carpathians and has been extensively documented. The wealth and colourfulness of plant life has been expressed in some 100 publications describing the flora of the Slovak Karst. Among the more interesting species are: Onosma tornensis, Sesleria heufleriana, Crataegus domicensis, Sorbus austriaca spp. hazslinszkiana, and Dianthus lumnitzeri var. pseudopraecox (endemics). In Slovakia, this is the only place where Ajuga laxmanii, Erythronium dens-canis, Carex brevicollis, Astragalus vesicarius, Cytisus procumbens, Gasparinia peucedanoides and Euphrasia pectinata are present at the northernmost limit of their distribution. The limestone underlay and the warm, moderately dry climate, provide habitats for over 900 species of vascular plants, making this territory among the richest taxonomically in Central Europe. Even though the original forest vegetation has been considerably altered through man's intervention, there are still a whole series of oak associations and floristic elements with unique features, considered to be indicative of the development of a Matran-Carpathian vegetation. Also of interest are the marshes and meadows, association of pseudo-rocky steppes and rocky overhangs, cliffs, chasms and ravines. The inversion of vegetation zones in deep crevasses and ravines is so well developed as to have no parallel within the Carpathian arch.

Fauna The fauna is characteristic of steppe or forest-steppe habitat with montane elements preserved in the damp and cool valleys. Of particular scientific interest are the fauna of caves and subterranean karst waters. Karst forms of beetles and insects are abundantly represented and mention should be made of the occurrence of the endemic snail Sadleriana pannonica. Among reptiles, lizards are the most numerous with Lacerta viridis, Lacerta vivipera and Podarcis muralis all present. The rocky steppes and forest steppes are the haunt of rock bunting Emberiza cia, the northernmost locality in Europe. In addition, rock thrush Monticola saxatilis, peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus, saker F. cherrug, short-toed eagle Circaetus gallicus, lesser spotted eagle Aquila pomarina and others are present, while innumerable colonies of bats haunt the caves. The area marks the westernmost disribution for striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius whilst Miller's water shrew Neomys anomalus is found here in large numbers. Also present are red deer Cervus elaphus, roe deer Capreolus capreolus and introduced species such as Ovis sp., and wild boar Sus scrofa.

Cultural Heritage No information

Local Human Population There appears to be only one sizeable settlement - Silica - and several hamlets within the protected landscape area with the larger villages and towns located in the valleys outside the boundary.

Visitors and Visitor Facilities Out of the great number of caves, four may be visited by the public but general access to the reserve requires the authority of the Management of the Protected Regions of the Slovak Karst, with headquarters at Brzotin. An international nature trail has been created which connects the Slovak Karst with Aggtelek National Park in Hungary.

Scientific Research and Facilities In addition to earlier research conducted on flora, fauna, speleology, geomorphology and geology of the territory, a complex floristic and phytocenologic survey was undertaken in 1970 on a selected part of the Slovak Karst, the Silice Tableland, by the Department of Geobotanics of the Natural Science Faculty, Comenius University, in Bratislava. The flora of the site has been recorded in over 100 publications. As a first stage, as the basis for a map of the climax vegetation. For the period 1976-1980, approval was given for a complete survey of the entire Slovak Karst within the state plan of research for the Comenius University, titled 'Study of Plants and their evolution in the Carpathian Region' as well as research conducted by the Central Office for State Nature Conservation in the programme 'Protection of Nature and its Components'. The main objective of the survey will be to determine the types of vegetation and their syntaxonomic evaluation, along with mapping of all contemporary vegetation. In the future, research on the effects of man's interactions with various ecosystems within the region has to be reinforced. Research permits are required from the Management of the Protected Region of the Slovak Karst, with headquarters at Brzotin.

Conservation Value No information

Conservation Management The aim is to protect and improve the natural conditions and nature resources of the territory; to ensure coordination of its economic exploitation in conformity with measures for the protection of the natural landscape in view of its multiple use as a cultural, scientific, economic and health-recreational reserve. The area includes twelve national nature reserves one protected forest reserve, and nine protected monuments. There is a buffer zone surrounding the area.

Management Constraints In the past, much of the region was affected by deforestation, which together with grazing resulted in soil erosion on steep terrain; elsewhere it promoted the appearance of pseudo-steppes and of xerothermic vegetation. Despite this, the majority of the protected area is still covered by natural vegetation. However, present threats include the change from traditional agriculture to large scale production of cereals; the accompanying increased use of fertilizers and pesticides that introduce considerable quantities of polluting chemical compounds into the underground cave waters. Air pollution from tourist vehicles and from industry are posing an increasing threat to the park ecosystem. The park is located within the 'Roznava air and gas polluted area' and there may well be damage to its spruce forests and peatbogs through increased 'acid rain' concentrations (Carter, 1984).

Staff Five persons are assigned to the protection of the area and 16 scientific-research workers.

Budget No information

Local Addresses

The Slovak Institute for the conservation of the Monuments and Nature Conservation of the Protected Region of Slovak Karst, Slovensky Kras, 049 51 Brzotin, Biely Kastiel', okr. Roznava, Czechoslovakia. Scientific Research Centre, Department of Geobotanics, Natural Science Faculty, Comenius University, 80000 Bratislkava, Moskovska 2/a, Czechoslovakia.

References

Anon. (1985). Acid rain devastates Eastern Europe. WWF News. 23 Jan/Feb 1985.

Carter, F.W. (1984). Pollution problems in post-war Czechoslovakia. Trans.

Inst. Br. Geogr. N.S. 10:17-44

Drdos, J. (1967). Landscape typization in the eastern part of the Slovak Karst and the adjoining part of the Kosice hollow. Biologické prace XIII (4-5): 158.

Haberova, I. (1975). Vegetation associations of the alluvia of the Silice Plateau. Proceedings of the 2nd SBS Congress in Presov.

Huna, L. (1981)(Ed.). Vel'koplosne Chranene Uzemia na Slovenska Vydavatel'stvo OBZOR Bratislava.

Jakal (1975). The Karst of the Silica Plateau. Osveta Martin.

Jakucs, P. (1967). Pjyllitidi-Aceratum subcarpaticum in norostlichen Teil des Ungarischen Mittelgebirges. Act Bot. Acad. Sci. Hung. 13(1-2): 61-80.

Klinda, J. (1985). Chranene Uzemia Prirody v Slovenskej Socialistickij Republike Vydavatel'stvo Obzor, Bratislava.

Lamac, J. and Stackmann, V. (1985)(Eds.). Chranena Krajinna Oblast Slovensky Kras. Vydalo Vydavatcl'stvo Obzor n.p. pre Ustredic statncj ochrany prirody. Liptovskom Mikulasi.

Marsakova-Nemejcova, M. and Mihalik, S. (1977). Narodni parky, reservace a jina chranena uzemi prirody v Ceskoslovensku. Academia Praha.

Mazur, E. et al. (1971). The Slovak Karst. Geografické prace II(1-2): 3-116.

Povolny, F. and Voloscuk, I. (1986). Management of Biosphere Reserves in Czechoslovak protected areas' network. Paper presented at All European MAB Conference, March 1986.

Svestka, J. (Ed). (1976). Chranena uzemi prirody CSSR. 2nd. edition. Kartografie Praha.

Date 1977, revised August 1986, May 1987, August 1987 and October, 1988

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