Slovakia Polana

Declaration date: 1990

Surface area: 20 360 ha

Administrative division: The Polana Biosphere Reserve

is situated in central Slovakia within the Western Carpa-

thians Mountains. It spreads on parts of districts Zvolen,

Detva, Brezno and Banska Bystrica.

Human activities:

Even today, the area is sparsely inhabited, with only three

settlements, one recreation centre, several farm- and forest-

houses. Most of the 400 permanent inhabitants are retired,

and those employed commute to industrial enterprises out-

side the region, only a few work in forestry or agriculture.

Most of the region is covered by woodland, the rest being

agricultural land, except for 50 ha of water reservoir. Fo-

rest management is according to decade plans which in-

clude most of the demands of nature conservation. Moun-

tain meadows and pastures are mown and used for grazing

by cattle and sheep.

Ecological characteristics:

Polana is one of the greatest European former volcanoes

(cca 2500 m above sea level) and it is the highest volcanic

mountain range in Slovakia. The highest altitude is 1458 m

above sea level, the lowest one is 460 m above sea level.

Polana BR is characterized by a common occurrence of

both, thermophilous and mountain plant species. Forest

covers almost 85% of the Polana BR, with the slight majo-

rity being coniferous forests, the rest being deciduous one.

Many of them have a character of primeval forest. The

forest system is very diverse from oak forests to spruce

forests growing on andesites, well known for their sou-

thernmost occurrence within the Western Carpathians,

cover the highest part of the mountain range. There are

about 1220 species of higher plants in the area and it is

also rich in lichens and mosses. Out of which 80 species

are in categories of protection, threat and rareness. The

variety and species-richness of the fauna in the Polana BR

reflect its environmental diversity. There are many biogeo-

graphically outstanding and biosociologically significant

animal species, whose rare populations are often endange-

red and thus strictly protected. The invertebrate fauna in-

cludes several Carpathian endemic species. Particularly

species rich is the fauna of beetles, butterflies, reptiles,

birds as well as large predators (- bear, wolf, lynx). The

avifauna is exceptionally rich. There are 174 species of

birds in the area. In consideration of occurrence of endan-

gered and rare bird species, the Polana has been recognised

as Important Birds Area of Slovakia.

Contact information:

Roman Bies

Polana Protected Landscape Area, Biosphere Reserve

Hurbanova ul. 20

960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

Phone: (421.45) 5334834

Fax: (421.45) 5333657

© Polana BR

Protection classifications:

At national level, the area was declared as a protected land-

scape area in 1981. Its area is the same as the area of bios-

phere reserve.

© Polana BR