Water botanic garden

Origin and context of the project

The Botanical Garden of the Tatra Alpine Flora has been established in Tatranská Lomnica, part of the alpine environment of the Tatra National Park. The altitude of the Botanical Garden is 850 m above sea level.

Therefore, artificially planted flora from the climate zone has about 2,000 m above sea level. very difficult conditions for existence. The solution was to eliminate higher temperatures in the dried Botanical Garden for the alpine Tatra flora to make it more bearable. 

Because the artificially planted alpine flora in the Botanical Garden develops much earlier, it is not attractive for tourists of the Tatras and potential visitors to the Botanical Garden at the peak of the tourist season in the Tatra National Park. Therefore, relatively few people visited it.

In 2006, the Administrator of the Botanical Garden (Tatranský Národný Park), in cooperation with the NGO People and Water, addressed the improvement of the water regime and microclimate in the Botanical Garden. The aim was to bring water to the Botanical Garden, improve the microclimate and temperature regime of the artificially created and increase the number of visitors to the Botanical Garden. 

The result was a project to build two bodies of water – Skalnaté pliesko and Zelené pliesko. The names were derived from Skalnate pleso pod Lomnicky stit, which dries quite often, and Zeleny pleso in the Belianske Tatras. 

Furthermore, a waterfall was created to create sound effects and disperse water droplets into the air, create streams, revitalized old areas and a water supply from the Water Forest. 

In addition to the microclimate, relaxation zones have been created for longer spending time for visitors to get to know the Tatra flora. 

The total investment costs of the project reached € 240,000. The environment has become more attractive, the water regime and the microclimate have improved. This also significantly affected the attendance of the Botanical Garden. Annual attendance increased by 148%. 

The target group is parents with small children, so that the proximity to water inspires both children and parents to better perceive water as a part of ecosystems and life and to transfer this knowledge into life. 

Botanical garden and in order to make the environment more attractive in which activities of exploring the flora of alpine flora take place. The innovative idea of ​​the project was to improve the microclimate in a place where there is a natural concentration of visitors.

This project can also help with fires in forests. From the biggest reservoir on the top of the project helicopter can fill Bambi bucket attached to the bottom of the helicopter.