Posted on April, 30 2010

Slovakia is considering opening its oldest national park to developers in a move that flouts basic conservation principles, WWF says.

Authorities recently submitted a proposal to rezone Tatra National Park that would open some of the most ecologically sensitive areas of the park to developers, including important European breeding sites for chamois and marmots.

The proposed zoning would allow for tourist infrastructure development, particularly ski resorts, in undisturbed areas that were designated as priority areas for nature conservation.

The proposal ignores that nature conservation is a primary management objective in the Tatra National Park under existing Slovak legislation, and that as well as the park is a part of the European network of protected areas Natura 2000. In addition, the proposal has been produced in a non-transparent way without any expert review or call for public comments.

Tatra National Park is located in the Tatry Mountains in northern Slovakia. Covering an area of 738 square kilometers, it was created to conserve the valuable high-mountain ecosystems of those mountains, such as untouched mountain forests, alpine habitats, mountain lakes and streams as well as glacial and rock reliefs.

Due its unique location, highly isolated from other high mountains, unique flora and fauna have evolved in the park, with many endemic species such as types of chamois and marmot. The proposed zoning would greatly contribute to the destruction of fundamental conservation values of the area and to deterioration of its conservation status. In particular it would destroy the most important breeding sites of chamois and marmot in the West Tatra Mountains.

The park’s forests also are home to the one-of-a-kind Tatra Pine Vole (Microtus tatricus), dwarf pine scrub, and serves as a critical habitat for many bird species, including for the black grouse and the capercaillie.

A new proposal of zoning in compliance with the international guidelines must be prepared prepared, involving experts and the public and that this zoning will permit the development of tourist centers only if nature conservation requirements are met, WWF says.

“Zoning and planning could guide development and management of the area, ensuring opportunities for development while maintaining the natural values that are the area’s chief attraction,” said Andreas Beckmann, Director of WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme.

„As protection of wilderness in Europe is our major concern we are following the dispute over the Tatra National Park of Slovakia very closely”, said Zoltan Kun, Executive Director of PAN Parks Foundation, which protects Europe’s wilderness in close cooperation with government agencies and local business partners.

“Tatra National Park is a potential PAN Park, which hosts not only important wilderness related species such as brown bear and chamois, but also habitats with European importance. According to the current zoning proposal, Tatra would lose significant part of its wilderness. We have already sent a letter to the Ministry of Environment urging them to reconsider”, he added.

“At the most recent meeting of EU Ministers of Environment they took the bold decision to support the most ambitious post 2010 European biodiversity target. That target calls for a halt to biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, and restoring them "in so far as feasible". By strengthening and not weakening the protection of Tatra National Park, Slovakia can set an example to other European countries," Kun said.