Dzukija National Park
Encyclopedia
Dzūkija National Park - a national park
in Dzūkija
, Lithuania
, was established in 1991 in order to preserve the pine
forests, the landscape, and the villages of the region. The area encompasses approximately 550 square kilometers on the banks of the Nemunas River.
The park is the largest protected area
in Lithuania. It belongs to both the Association of Baltic National Parks and the Federation of European National Parks.
than other parts of the country. Its most distinctive landscapes are the mainland dune
massifs located in Marcinkonys
, Lynežeris
, Grubaulia, and Šunupis.
The administrative center of the park is in Marcinkonys
and the other important town is Merkinė
. An ethnographic village
of Zervynos
is within the park.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Dzūkija
Dzukija
Dzūkija or Dainava is one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. Dzūkija is a cultural region defined by traditional lifestyles and dialects of the local Lithuanian population and has never been defined as a political or administrative unit...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, was established in 1991 in order to preserve the pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forests, the landscape, and the villages of the region. The area encompasses approximately 550 square kilometers on the banks of the Nemunas River.
The park is the largest protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
in Lithuania. It belongs to both the Association of Baltic National Parks and the Federation of European National Parks.
Features
The park enjoys a more continental climateContinental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
than other parts of the country. Its most distinctive landscapes are the mainland dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
massifs located in Marcinkonys
Marcinkonys
Marcinkonys is a village in Varėna district, Lithuania, located south-east of Merkinė. It is the administrative center of the Dzūkija National Park and Čepkeliai Marsh. According to the 2001 census, it had 765 residents. The settlement is known since 1637, when it was a camp of foresters...
, Lynežeris
Lynežeris
Lynežeris is a village in Varėna district municipality, in Alytus County, in southeastern Lithuania. According to the 2001 census, the village has a population of 34 people.-References:...
, Grubaulia, and Šunupis.
Settlements
Marcinkonys
Marcinkonys is a village in Varėna district, Lithuania, located south-east of Merkinė. It is the administrative center of the Dzūkija National Park and Čepkeliai Marsh. According to the 2001 census, it had 765 residents. The settlement is known since 1637, when it was a camp of foresters...
and the other important town is Merkinė
Merkine
Merkinė is a town in Dzūkija National Park in Lithuania, located at the confluence of the Merkys and Neman Rivers.First mentioned in 1359, Merkinė is one of the oldest Lithuanian settlements. It received the Magdeburg rights in 1569. The town is the location of The Mount of Queen Bona, a mound...
. An ethnographic village
Ethnographic village
An ethnographic village is a real or artificial settlement which portrays complete historical and ethnographic characteristics of life of a certain ethic group...
of Zervynos
Zervynos
Zervynos is an ethnographic village in the Varėna district, Lithuania. It is situated within the territory of the Dzūkija National Park near the Ūla River. The Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway runs through this village. Zervynos has 48 homesteads; 8 homesteads and 32 separate buildings are...
is within the park.