The Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains characterised with an alpine landscape.
The outstanding and still well preserved natural characteristics of the Tatras were “discovered” at the turn of the 18th century by researchers who reached the range. Their work exposed the wealth of nature and its unique character. It was soon decided that the area should be subject to protection. As a result, the 1880s saw the first calls to protect the Tatras through the creation of a national park, similar to the first national park in the world, the American Yellowstone. Ultimately, the Tatra National Park was created under a Council of Ministers Ordinance dated 30 October 1954 and started operating as of 1 January 1955.
The total park area is 21,197 ha, making it one of the largest national parks in Poland. Some 70 percent of the park’s area is covered by forests and mountain pine, with the remaining 30 percent being high altitude grasslands, rocks and waters. Strictly protected zones cover some 11,500 ha of the park’s area, including a full level of pastures and crags, a level of mountain pine and also partially the higher and lower tree lines. Strict protection consists in protecting the natural processes within the environment.
The sole and primary goal of the Tatra National Park is to protect the flora and fauna of the region. In addition to that the park plays a number of important social roles which, however, are subordinated to the underlining goal, and are subject to certain restrictions set forth in the legal acts applicable to the areas covered by the national park.