Nature Protection in Armenia and Slovakia

Abstract

Protected areas are clearly defined geographical spaces created to achieve long-term conservation of nature and surrounding areas, including cultural heritages, flora, fauna and so on. Nature conservation is hence one of the basic responsibilities of the state, society and every person. The main objective of this contribution is to present current state and structure of nature protection of protected areas in Armenia and Slovakia. This paper states the theoretical elements of the protection of protected areas in Armenia and Slovakia. We analyzed the collected information applying quantitative and qualitative approach. Legal regulation in Armenia is based on the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Specially Protected Nature Areas. At present the system of Specially Protected Nature Areas in Armenia includes 4 categories of protected areas: state reserves/strict nature reserves, national parks, sanctuaries/state reservations, nature monuments. Legislative basis for nature protection in Slovakia serves the Act No. 543/2002 Coll. on Nature and Landscape Protection. From the point of view territorial protection, protected areas in Slovak Republic are classified into 8 categories: national parks, protected landscape areas, protected site, nature reserve, nature monument, protected landscape fragment, protected bird area, protected area established by municipality. We present two significant protected areas of both countries to emphasize their importance in the structure of nature protection, their law regulation and uniqueness from the point of view flora, fauna, climate and location.