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Plitvice
lakes
 The natural
attributes of the Plitvice Lakes National Park, uniqueness
and sensibiliry of that phenomenon, deserve a full attention
of our visitors. Recreational aspect of stay and the
amazement with beauty of the area that conquers by its
natural diversity and harmony of shapes and colours in any
of the seasons, is based on many mutually conditioned
natural characteristics.
 That
is a specific geological and hydrogeological phenomenon of
karst. The series of 16 bigger and a few smaller lakes,
gradually lined up, separated by
travertine barriers for which the period of the last ten
thousand years was crucial, and which
were
ruled by ecological relations similar to those of today -
suitable for travertine depositing and for the origin of the
lakes - are the basic phenomenon of the National Park.
 Travertine forming plants, algae and
mosses have been and still are playing an important role in
their creation, thus making a very sensitive biodynamic
system.
Transitive
type of climate between coastal and continental with
microclimatic diversities makes summer pleasant and sunny,
while on the other side winter is relatively long, harsh and
snowrich. There are large forestry complexes in the Park
area, of which some sections are protected as a special
reserve of forestry vegetation due to its primeval
characteristics (Corkova uvala virgin forest). Diversity of
places and living conditions makes possible for numerous
species of plants and animals in watery and terrestrial
areas of the Park to develop with no disturbance.
It should be
stressed that all fundamental things that do determine the
Park, make a very fragile structural and functional complex,
sensitive to natural changes and to incautious human
actions.
UNESCO has
declared it with all rights as the World's natural
inheritance. All that was mentioned in this short
introduction shows a big importance and the reason why this
Natural History Guide of The Plitvice Lakes National Park is
being published. It should come into hands of every single
visitor and draw his attention to numerous attractions of
the first Croatian
National Park.
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