RIVERS AS BACKBONES FOR URBAN AND PERIURBAN RECREATION – CASE STUDIES FROM KOŠICE AND PREŠOV, SLOVAKIA

Abstract

Most of the urban centers in Slovakia developed in valley locations, in the floodplains of the river landscapes. The gradual growth of settlements transformed the character of the riverscapes and caused significant changes in the physical structure and functions of the river systems. They were modified to fulfill functions required by society, to increase the level of flood protection of the adjacent territory, to create conditions for navigation, to become a source of energy and water supply for the population, agriculture, or industry, and they became recipients for drainage and sewage systems. Regulated rivers have become part of the urban structure of the city. Despite the changes, they fulfill the role of essential bio-corridors of ecological networks and form a key part of the green and blue infrastructure providing valuable ecosystem services, including recreation. In the paper, we examine and compare the history and current patterns of urban and periurban recreation development in contact with a watercourse, rivers Hornád, and Torysa, in the towns of Košice and Prešov.