Active landslides: Perception and education in Slovakia

Abstract

Active landslides belong to major environmental hazards in Slovakia. More than 21,000 slope deformations have been registered in the Slovak part of the Western Carpathians covering 5.25 % of the area of Slovakia since the beginning of systematic investigation of landslides in the middle of the last century "Liščák et al. (Mineralia Slovaca 42:393-406, 2010)". Results of regional research of slope deformations during past 50 years can also be found in Atlas of slope stability maps in the Slovak Republic at scale 1:50,000 "Šimeková et al. (2006 Atlas máp stability svahov Slovenskej republiky 1:50,000. MŽP SR/INGEOIGHP, Bratislava/Zilina)". There were 551 newly occurred slope deformations in the East Slovakia during the last year. It was generally anticipated that they were induced by natural factors (extremely heavy rain, favourable geological structure, suitable geomorphological, hydrogeological and climatic conditions) and human activities (constructions, deforestation, incorrect agriculture melioration works, etc.). Post-failure dynamics at 16 selected localities was monitored since 1993 by a set of traditional methods by State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr. In our contribution we analyze relations between changing landslides' nature (underground water level, surface displacements, inclinometric measurements, etc.) and natural (climate) as well as anthropogenic factors before and after the activation of sliding processes at these localities. We have also considered different political systems and ownership relations and their effects on land use changes and/or state of remedial works. Finally, we discuss possibilities to increase the public awareness of landslides by introducing topical case studies into the teaching process at elementary and secondary schools. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.