Nature protection and biodiversity - Drivers and pressures (Slovakia)

 The main impacts are caused by tourism development resulting in the fragmentation and urbanisation of natural habitats and industrial development resulting in the deterioration of the quality of air, water and soil. Despite the fact that emissions of pollutants have shown a slightly decreasing trend since the latter half of the 1990s in Slovakia, their influence still remains significant owing to the neighbouring states (up to 75 % of the air pollution has a cross-border origin).

Agriculture and forestry have not significantly influenced nature ecosystems during recent years.

Forest ecosystems create a dominant and extraordinarily valuable part of the nature of Slovakia. With respect to biological diversity and ecological stability, the preservation of the natural structure of forest, i.e. natural status, is important. Around 85 % of the area of forests in Slovakia is represented by natural, or predominantly natural forests, and 15 % by modified or changed forests. The health condition of the forests in Slovakia, indicated by defoliation and damage rate, has been stabilised recently. Variations recorded in some years were caused mainly by weather and climate factors. The spruce ecosystems have been influenced by the bark beetle expansion as well as fires caused by extremely hot and dry summers. Temperature oscillations within the year also negatively influence the aquatic and wetland natural habitats and river ecosystems. The impact of the construction of hydroelectricity power plants on the river continuum is also significant.

Linkage on the Green Report:

http://www.land.gov.sk/sk/index.php?navID=123