Natura 2000

NATURA 2000 is the name of a network of protected areas of the European Union member states and the main objective of its establishment is conservation of natural heritage, which is important not only for the respective member state but also for the EU as a whole. 

The following two EU regulations constitute the basis for establishment of the NATURA 2000 network:

the Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the Conservation of Wild Birds - the Birds Directive

the Council Directive 92/43/EEC on Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora -   the Habitats Directive. 

These two regulations were implemented in the Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic No. 543/2002 Coll. on Nature and Landscape Protection. The NATURA 2000 network is formed by two types of protected areas. Bird protection areas with the aim to protect birds and sites of Community importance with the aim to protect natural habitats of Community importance, plant and animal species and their natural habitats of Community importance.

What does the NATURA 2000 network protect in Slovakia?

The network protects 64 types of natural habitats, 99 animal species, 51 plant species and 141 bird species, for which areas of the NATURA 2000 network were proposed.  Out of 141 bird species, 73 are listed in the Annex I to the Birds Directive and 68 belong to migratory species, for whose conservation protection areas were created.  

You are situated in the Birds protection area Malá Fatra and the Site of Community Importance Malá Fatra.

In the Site of Community Importance SKUEV0252 Malá Fatra we protect 26 natural habitats of Community importance, 6 plant species and 28 animal species of Community importance. 

The proposed SKCHVÚ 013 Bird protection area Malá Fatra was established by a legal regulation, namely the Decree of Government of the Slovak Republic no. 636 of 9 July 2003 to the national list of proposed bird protection areas. It is the fourth largest bird protection area in Slovakia with the total area of 66,228.06 ha. The bird protection area Malá Fatra is situated in the area of six districts (Žilina, Dolný Kubín, Námestovo, Ružomberok, Martin, Prievidza). It also covers the entire Krivánska and Lúčanska part of the Malá Fatra mountain range and a part of the Kysuce Mountains.

Let us protect national parks as last

refugees before civilizations.

Spolupracovali:

Tomáš Hulík, Miloš Majda, Miloš Majda ml., Andrej Zahradník, Daniel Podbrežný,

Mirjana Kuncová, Peter Cáder, Anna Dobošová

Photo: Tomáš Hulík, Miloš Majda, Jozef Chavko