Greenpeace activists organised a demonstration in the Demanovska Valley on Monday to protest against large-scale construction. They also demanded that at least ten percent of European wilderness, such as the Carpathian forests, be included in a high protection zone. The NGO warned that about four hectares - an area equivalent to about five football pitches - of Carpathian forests are lost every hour due to deforestation and climate change, while only three per cent of the forests are under state protection. Katarína Jurikova, director of Greenpeace Slovakia, said the well-being of a society is closely linked to a diverse and healthy nature. "It provides us with clean air, water, protection from extreme weather and, as many studies show, it also helps to cultivate mental health. So protecting nature is in everyone's interest," she said. The Ministry of the Environment is aware of the need to promote measures to prevent the destruction of forests and to increase the level of their protection. Many measures, such as the zoning of national parks, are already being implemented, ministry spokesman Tomas Ferencak told TASR on Monday. Ferencak was responding to the Greenpeace protest. According to the Ministry of the Environment, the plan to declare nature reserves and other protected areas is still being implemented. "For example, the creation of 76 nature reserves called Slovak Forests, under which almost 2,500 hectares of forest and almost 4,000 hectares of woodland have been given the status of protected area. In addition, three nature reserves have been created as part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage," said Ferencak.
Source: TASR
