Statement of AFAD on the Proposed Zoning of National Parks
Statement of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava on the Proposed Zoning of the Tatra National Park (TANAP), the Low Tatras National Park, the Malá Fatra National Park, and the Poloniny National Park
We express our disagreement with the proposed zoning of key national parks in the Slovak Republic. After reviewing the proposal of the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic, we have found that several areas of the mentioned national parks are being reassigned to a lower— and in some cases even the lowest—level of protection. This results in a significant reduction of the non-intervention A zone with the highest level of protection. The proposed reductions of these non-intervention zones contradict the government document Envirostrategy 2030, which states that at least 50% of each national park should fall within the A zone.
The preparation of the zoning proposals by the ministry is taking place without the participation of a scientific board capable of professionally and competently assessing the resilience of ecosystems in relation to human activity. The themes of the aesthetics of nature, ecology, and environmental protection—as well as the environment more broadly—are an integral part of the lives of our students and employees, and are also reflected in the artistic research and many of the works created at our school.
It is important for us to stand on the side of science and expertise in the field of nature conservation in the Slovak Republic. The active involvement of the scientific community in the creation of zoning plans for our national parks, and the acceptance of scientific knowledge, are essential prerequisites for their quality.
VŠVU Management
Academic Senate of VŠVU
Teachers, staff, and students of VŠVU