State Nature Conservation of the Slovak Republic
It is a specialized nature and landscape conservation organization with nationwide jurisdiction. Headquartered in Banská Bystrica, it has up to 500 employees. It consists of the Directorate and the Protected Area Administrations, the Regional Nature Conservation Centre and the Slovak Caves Administration It has competences throughout the whole of the Slovak Republic, covering 14 protected landscape areas, a regional nature conservation centre and 13 caves open to the public.
In particular, it ensures the following:
- care for specially protected parts of nature and landscape,
- monitors the condition and changes of natural ecosystems under changing ecological conditions,
- ensures the performance of nature guard duties,
- operates a breeding and rehabilitation station, addresses issues concerning handicapped, dead, or accidentally captured, injured, or killed protected animals,
- maintains records of protected animals and protected plants,
- acts as the scientific body of the Slovak Republic for CITES,
- issues an opinion on incidental timber harvesting and submits initiatives,
- draws up management programs for protected areas,
- ensures the marking of specially protected parts of nature and landscape,
- conducts research on specially protected parts of nature and landscape,
- provides guides in protected areas,
- carries out activities associated with ensuring the favourable conservation status of specially protected parts of nature and landscape,
- maintains the state list of specially protected parts of nature and landscape,
- administers caves and land in protected areas and their buffer zones,
- prepares expert opinions in the field of nature conservation,
- carries out cultural, educational, promotional, and publishing activities in the field of nature and landscape conservation,
- participates in international cooperation and the implementation of international projects, programs, and conventions in the field of nature conservation,
- and other activities pursuant to Act No. 543/2002 Coll. on Nature and Landscape Protection.