Slovenské opálové bane, s.r.o. in cooperation with the state enterprise Lesy SR and the Regional Centre for Nature Conservation in Prešov, built a nature trail in the Protected Area of Dubnické mines.
The nature trail leads through the Libanka mining district, where there are old mining works that were built during the mining of precious opal.
Along the route, which is approximately 1.5 km long, there are 14 information boards dedicated to the formation of opal, mining, selected mining works as well as the geology, vegetation and zoology of the Slanské vrchy Mountains and bats separately.
After the end of mining, the vast underground spaces of the opal mines became an important hibernation area for bats. In 1964, for this reason, they were declared the Dubnické mines Protected Area.
The forests located in the Protected Area of Dubnické bane are under the administration and management of the State Forests of the Slovak Republic, Organisational Component of OZ Šariš, in the territorial scope of the Kokošovce Forest Administration.
Due to the fact that the forests through which the nature trail leads are located in the Protected Area of Dubnické Bane, which is an internationally important site and the favourable condition of these biotopes depends on human management, these stands No. 2060A, 2060B have been included in the reference areas - areas without intervention.
The area through which the nature trail leads is located in the 4th level of nature protection. Entrance to the trail is free of charge and is suitable for both children and adults.
The information boards are bilingual, in Slovak and English.
The aim of the nature trail is to present the history of opal mining in this locality, to draw visitors' attention to the living nature of the Slanské vrchy Mountains, the need for its protection and, to a necessary extent, to manage forests in a sustainable way, with regard to the use of forests by visitors to the mines, tourists and, last but not least, the population living in the countryside.
Source: the Slovak Opal Mine
