Development of nature protection areas in Slovakia -: A role of landscape ecology

Nature protection areas form a central element of a national policy towards protection of biodiversity. The beginning of a systematic development of a protected areas network in Slovakia based on the Act on State Nature Protection dates back to 1955, while in 1995, a new modem and complex Act on Nature and Landscape Protection came into force, reflecting our own traditions as well as international developments in nature protection concepts. The later establishes five conservation levels for territorial protection of nature and landscape, and defines general protection principles, which apply to the whole country territory. Slovakia features remarkable coverage of nature protection areas - 7 national parks, 16 protected landscape areas and over 1000 other smaller protected areas cover more than 22% of the country territory. Until now the issue of climate change in general has not been specifically considered in-setting up protected areas in Slovakia, however, provisions by the 1995 Act for creating corridors and stepping stones between protected areas will enable species to move with shifting climate, and may contribute to minimising adverse impacts to biological diversity. Landscape Ecology brings information and knowledge needed as a foundation for informed regulatory or management decision-making regarding development of nature protection areas.