{"id":36554,"date":"2025-02-05T10:54:20","date_gmt":"2025-02-05T09:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/broz.sk\/?p=36554"},"modified":"2025-02-05T10:54:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-05T09:54:20","slug":"in-the-javorniky-mountains-on-klapy-we-helped-the-rare-apollo-butterflies-and-pasque-flowers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/broz.sk\/en\/in-the-javorniky-mountains-on-klapy-we-helped-the-rare-apollo-butterflies-and-pasque-flowers\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Javorn\u00edky Mountains, on Klapy, we helped the rare Apollo butterflies and pasque flowers."},"content":{"rendered":"Just as humans have carved their own paths through nature<\/strong>, nature, too, has created its own unique routes. The southern edge of the Javorn\u00edky Mountains<\/strong> is home to the Pieniny <\/strong>Klippen Belt<\/strong>, a stunning limestone ridge that stretches from Myjava, across the Polish Tatras, through Humenn\u00e9, and all the way to Romania. These rocky formations served as stepping stones<\/strong> for plant <\/strong>and animal species<\/strong> that depend on calcium-rich habitats<\/strong>. In the past, these areas were within reach of each other, easily accessible. But while they were once open and connected<\/strong>, many are now overgrown by forests and dense vegetation\u2014or have disappeared altogether.\r\n\r\n
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Klapy, serving as the gateway to the Marikov\u00e1 Valley, have a rich history, with evidence of ancient Celtic settlements in the area. Likely used as a refuge in times of danger, this strategic location has long been a place of shelter and protection for those who sought safety in its natural surroundings.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nOverlooking the Nosice Dam in Stredn\u00e9 Pova\u017eie<\/strong>, Klapy Mountain<\/strong> is part of the limestone ridge system. In the past, various calcium- and light-demanding species<\/strong> migrated here, but as their connection to the surrounding landscape faded, so did their populations. The once-thriving rocky peak became an isolated island in a sea of vegetation, causing a steady decline in rare species like the Slovak pasque flower<\/strong> and the Apollo butterfly<\/strong>. With each passing year, the sunlit rocky habitats shrank, and so did the populations of rare species. Without proper management, the very ecosystems and protected species that define this nature reserve would have eventually disappeared.\r\n\r\n

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The larvae of the Apollo Butterfly rely on the succulent white stonecrop, a plant that thrives in open, unshaded areas. Both species require these sun-drenched, uncovered spaces to survive.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n

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The Slovak pasque flower, an endemic species of Slovakia, is capable of surviving in a dormant state for several years when shaded, but will eventually perish if the conditions do not improve.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\nTogether with the Str\u00e1\u017eovsk\u00e9 vrchy Protected Landscape Area<\/strong>, we worked on restoring Klapy as part of the LIFE Endemic PANALP <\/strong>project. Over 18 days in late November and early December, we cleared 8,000 m\u00b2<\/strong> of overgrown habitat in steep, rugged terrain\u2014at times using climbing gear. We carefully removed invading pines and hazels<\/strong> while preserving native oaks, wild apple and pear trees, and rowan-trees, helping to revive this precious landscape.\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t