Záhorie Protected Landscape Area
Encyclopedia
Záhorie Protected Landscape Area is the first lowland
protected landscape area in Slovakia
. It is located in the non-administrative Záhorie
Region in West Slovakia. The Landscape Area protects 275.22 km² (106.26 mi²) and is divided into two separate parts – western and north-eastern. The western part starts near the village of Kúty
in the north, follows the borders between Slovakia and Austria
alongside the Morava River and ends near Stupava
in the south. The north-eastern part is bordered by the Military District of Záhorie
in the east and south.
and the Western Bloc
for 40 years, known as the Iron Curtain
. The area contains the largest water-meadow
s in Slovakia. The riparian forests contain trees similar to the original old growth forests. A vast network of channels
, wetland
s and small lakes is spread in the riparian zones and floodplains. These rich and dynamic geographical features bring an extensive variety of flora
and fauna
. Plants are represented by, for example, large areas of Clematis integrifolia
. The water habitat
is dominantly occupied by animal groups such as crustaceans, molluscs, fish
, amphibians and a lot of species of aquatic birds
. The European Beaver
returned to this area from Austria, where it was reintroduced
in the 1980s.
The north-eastern part contains sand deposited by aeolian processes, which create dunes. Because of its location, this area is an important route for migrating birds
. The contrast between colder lower areas and warm sand dunes creates a bright variety of species. The warm and dry areas are home to the antlion
and Hoopoe
. The fir forests are home to insect predators, which serve as a feeding ground for the European Nightjar
, Woodlark
and bat
s.
alongside the Morava River and adjacent newly built biking trail contains boards and poster
s informing about wildlife and is also popular with hikers. The north-eastern part contains biking and hiking trails, offering unique sand dunes. Biking trails are interconnected with others outside the Landscape Area.
Lowland
In physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. The term is thus applied to the landward portion of the upward slope from oceanic depths to continental highlands, to a region of depression in the interior of a mountainous region, to a plain of denudation, or...
protected landscape area in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. It is located in the non-administrative Záhorie
Záhorie
Záhorie is a region in western Slovakia bordered by the Little Carpathians in the east and the Morava River in the west. Although not an administrative region in its own right, it is one of the 21 official tourism regions in Slovakia...
Region in West Slovakia. The Landscape Area protects 275.22 km² (106.26 mi²) and is divided into two separate parts – western and north-eastern. The western part starts near the village of Kúty
Kúty
Kúty, is a village and municipality in Senica District in the Trnava Region of western Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 156 metres and covers an area of 27.158 km²...
in the north, follows the borders between Slovakia and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
alongside the Morava River and ends near Stupava
Stupava
Stupava may refer to:* Stupava, Malacky District, a town in Slovakia* Stupava , a village in the Czech Republic...
in the south. The north-eastern part is bordered by the Military District of Záhorie
Záhorie (military district)
Záhorie is a military district in western Slovakia in the Malacky District in the Bratislava Region.-External links:*...
in the east and south.
Geography, geology and ecology
The western part of the Landscape Area is formed by the Morava River and mainly consists of vast riparian zones and floodplains. This area is well preserved because it had been a strictly prohibited border between the Eastern BlocEastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
and the Western Bloc
Western Bloc
The Western Bloc or Capitalist Bloc during the Cold War refers to the powers allied with the United States and NATO against the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact...
for 40 years, known as the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
. The area contains the largest water-meadow
Water-meadow
A water-meadow is an area of grassland subject to controlled irrigation to increase agricultural productivity. Water-meadows were mainly used in Europe from the 16th to the early 20th centuries...
s in Slovakia. The riparian forests contain trees similar to the original old growth forests. A vast network of channels
Channel (geography)
In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks.A channel is also the natural or human-made deeper course through a reef, sand bar, bay, or any shallow body of water...
, wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s and small lakes is spread in the riparian zones and floodplains. These rich and dynamic geographical features bring an extensive variety of flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
. Plants are represented by, for example, large areas of Clematis integrifolia
Clematis
Clematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese and Japanese...
. The water habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is dominantly occupied by animal groups such as crustaceans, molluscs, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, amphibians and a lot of species of aquatic birds
Anseriformes
The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three extant families: the Anhimidae , Anseranatidae , and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans.All species in the order are highly adapted for an aquatic existence at...
. The European Beaver
European Beaver
The Eurasian beaver or European beaver is a species of beaver, which was once widespread in Eurasia, where it was hunted to near extinction both for fur and for castoreum, a secretion of its scent gland believed to have medicinal properties...
returned to this area from Austria, where it was reintroduced
Reintroduction
Reintroduction is the deliberate release of a species into the wild in zones formerly inhabited by said species but where it has disappeared from for a number of reasons, from captivity or relocated from other areas where the species still survives in...
in the 1980s.
The north-eastern part contains sand deposited by aeolian processes, which create dunes. Because of its location, this area is an important route for migrating birds
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
. The contrast between colder lower areas and warm sand dunes creates a bright variety of species. The warm and dry areas are home to the antlion
Antlion
Antlions are a group of insects in the family Myrmeleontidae . The most well-known genus is Myrmeleo. There are about 2,000 species...
and Hoopoe
Hoopoe
The Hoopoe is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Giant Hoopoe of Saint Helena, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes...
. The fir forests are home to insect predators, which serve as a feeding ground for the European Nightjar
European Nightjar
The European Nightjar, or just Nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus, is the only representative of the nightjar family of birds in most of Europe and temperate Asia.- Habitat and distribution :...
, Woodlark
Woodlark
The Woodlark is the only lark in the genus Lullula. It breeds across most of Europe, the Middle East Asia and the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations of this passerine bird are more migratory, moving further south in winter...
and bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s.
Tourism
In the western part, the artificial leveeLevee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
alongside the Morava River and adjacent newly built biking trail contains boards and poster
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
s informing about wildlife and is also popular with hikers. The north-eastern part contains biking and hiking trails, offering unique sand dunes. Biking trails are interconnected with others outside the Landscape Area.