Grasshopper no 6, Spring '95

SLOVAK UNION OF NATURE
AND LANDSCAPE PROTECTORS - SZOPK

The Slovak Union Of Nature And Landscape Protectors (SZOPK) was established on June 20, 1969. It now has nearly 7000 members in 423 local groups. Its mission is:

• to further public awareness of environmental issues,
• to increase public participation in the short-term as well as to develop long-term solutions to environmental problems,
• to influence decision making.

Main activities are divided into several areas:

1. Natural resources protection:

• protection of nature reserves,
• proposing of new reserves, e.g. Trilateral National Park on the Danube,
• re-evaluation of megalomanic harmful projects (e.g. construction of commercial touristic centers in the Rohace Mountains and Low Tatras, project of water dam system in Gabcikovo, project of Winter Olympic Games in the High Tatra and Low Tatra National Parks),
• practical nature conservation - replanting of rare plants, reforestation, etc.

2. Protection of historical structures of the landscape:

• practical works on countryside protection in general,
• re-evaluation of landscape designing to help keep plans in accordance with legal precepts regulating man's intervention in the landscape.

3. Cultural heritage protection:

• practical and theoretical conservation of historical -- mainly folk -- rural wooden architecture, technical monuments, historical city centers, etc.

4. Environmental education and work with young people (e.g. establishment of Centres of Environmental Education, training courses for teachers, educators, lecturers, children, workshops, excursions, summer camps, etc.).

5. Researching and writing expertises, publishing activities and propaganda, Eco-film festivals, exhibitions, evaluation of various proposals, laws, etc.

6. Distributing leaflets, journals, posters, and information about conferences, seminars, lectures, press conferences, green library, etc.

7. Special environmental issues - health, alternative energy, nuclear energy, waste management traffic.

8. Social activities - consumers' movement, help for handicapped people, organization of various cultural events in order to focus public attention on environmental issues.

Plans for the future include:

• activities in the framework of the campaign against the Winter Olympic Games 2002 in two Slovakian National Parks,
• project of protection of the East Carpathians,
• Danube Basin Programme.

SZOPK is looking for cooperation with other NGOs on the projects mentioned above.

SZOPK
Gorkeho 6
811 01 Bratislava
SLOVAKIA
tel./fax: 42/7/364665