Location: Dzūkija Map
Area: 550 km²
Dzūkija National Park located in Dzūkija of
Lithuania covers an area of 550 km² along the banks of river Neman. It
was established in 1991 to preserve and protect the natural landscape of
pine forests and villages of the region. It is the largest protected
area in the country. Dense untouched forests cover 91% of its territory,
the rest is taken by the lakes and rivers. The sandy soil of the park
soak all the water so if you feel like camping in the park you won't
have any problems with moisture. Keep an eye on hollow pines though. Old
pines often have hollow insides that are often occupied by the bee
hives. While it was a good source of honey since the ancient times they
might be quiet defensive if someone would approach their nest.
Dzūkija National Park in total contains over 50 monuments of art,
architecture and history. In the village of Lishkyavos you can find
remains of the medieval stone tower. Additionally a Church of Holy
Trinity stands nearby with a Dominican Monastery from the 18th century.
Its seven altars in rococo style are one of the most beautiful
structures in all of country. Near villages of Virshurodukis and
Kaschyunay you will find remains of partisan villages that fought
against the Soviet rule in words, but in reality killed more Lithuanians
than Communists or Russians for that matter. Needless to say post- War
partisan activity in the 40's and 50's is still a subject of debate
among the country's citizens so you probably don't want to get into this
mess with your opinion.
Dzūkija National Park was established in 1991. April 23, during
Jurgines. Until then, several protected areas had already been
established in this place - Łas landscape and Subartonyi historical
landscape reserves (since 1960), Skroblaus landscape, Merkis
ichthyological, Bakanauskai, Merkinė, Žeimių-Gudelėi botanical reserves
(since 1974).
After joining the European Union, the park joined
the Birds and Habitats Protection Directives, the Natura 2000 network of
territories. Since 2011, Dzūkija National Park together with Čepkeliai
Reserve has been part of the European network of the most valuable
wildlife areas (PAN Parks) (the only one in Lithuania).
Surface
Dzūkija National Park is located on the sandy Dainava
plain. The surface of the park is on average ~100 m above sea level.
There are distinctive continental dunes in the vicinity of Marcinkonis,
Musteikas, Lynežeris and Grybaulis. The strip of continental dunes of
Dzūkija extends for 61 km, encircling the Čepkeliai raist, occupying an
area of ~905 km². The dunes are mostly horseshoe-shaped, facing east.
The widest stretch of dunes (6.8 km) is near Marcinkoni. The highest
dune of the park - Dalgiakalnis (168.1 m) stands 4 km northeast of
Marcinkonių. The Dzūkija dunes were formed at the end of the Nemunas
glaciation, when the glacier meltwater washed away the rocks. Preglacial
lagoons formed in the place of the plain. Now, many dunes are covered
with pine forests (kerpšilis), but due to logging or other economic
activities, when the cover is damaged, semi-expanded sand dunes can open
up. Such a dune is in Marcinkonyse - Gaidziai dune.
In the
northwest (north of Merkina), the park reaches the edge of the Dzūki
highlands. It has a characteristic undulating surface, and lakes are
located in deep double slopes. The valleys of the big rivers (Nemunas,
Merkis) with several terraces. In the territory of the park, near the
villages of Panara and Netiesi, the Nemunas makes a loop and gnaws
through the moraine ridge, leaving several rivers (Bajorė near Ulčičii,
Sakala near Dubakloni, Žirklės near Merkini, Suuvėjas near Maksimoni).
Near the Nemunas near Krikštoni is the lowest point of the park (66 m).
Climate
Dzūkija has a contrasting climate due to large, easily
warmed, but quickly cooled sandy areas. Here are some of the biggest
temperature fluctuations in Lithuania both during the day and throughout
the year. Local storms are common in summer. Low evaporation, because
water is quickly absorbed into the sand and then comes out in springs.
Forests
Almost the entire park is located in a part of the
Dainava forest massif, so forests occupy 85% of the territory. 92% of
the stands of the park consist of pine forests - mainly cypress (on the
ridges of the dunes) and cypress (in the meadows, on the slopes of the
dunes). There is an abundant juniper undergrowth in Šila. Blue birch
trees grow in relief depressions, in the marshes, on the peaty shores of
lakes. Black alder and fir trees also grow in heaths, stream valleys,
and lakeshores, where the land is more fertile. There are more of them
in the Nemunas valley, in the vicinity of Musteika. To the north of
Merkina, in the vicinity of Subartonii, there is a small oak grove (5
ha) with an undergrowth of hazel and tall grasses. Larger marshes are
concentrated in the southern part, where grebes, grouse, and cranes
breed.
On the banks of the big rivers there are thickets, on the
hills of the Dzūki highlands and on the dry slopes of the rivers, you
can find areas of thermophilic thickets (hawthorns, sedges,
shunobelias).
2001-2002 133 key or potentially key forest
habitats have been identified in the Dzūkija National Park,
characterized by a greater abundance of species. Very distinctive pine
forest core habitats with 130-180 m. old pines, remained on the slopes
of the Łala valley, Stēgalii, on the islands of the Musteika marshes. In
the floodplains and slopes of the Ła, Merkis, Nemunas valleys, and in
the marshes of Musteika, the key habitats of black alder are protected.
Important habitats of oak groves are located in the vicinity of
Subartonii, on the slopes of Merkis and Griova. There are unique key
habitats of grazed willows near Trakiškės and Žiūr.
Water
reservoirs
Dzūkija National Park includes the middle Nemunas river,
sections of Merkis, Łolas, Grūdas, Straujas, the unique Skroblaus stream
with abundant springs. A total of 36 rivers and streams flow through the
territory of the park, the total length of which reaches ~300 km. Due to
the predominance of water-permeable sands, much of the rainfall is
absorbed into the soil and then released through springs that drain into
rivers. For this reason, the rivers of Dzūkija are watery all year
round, their water is cold and pure.
In the territory of the
park, there is a great variety of springs: near Jononi, on the shores of
Krūčius, near Lake Mikalaučiškės, there are carbonated springs, the
spring of Maksimonių Balažeris is very iron-rich, on the shores of
Merkis, Skroblaus, spring-fed slopes or puddles hanging on the slopes
are common. There are several springs - fountains where the water
bubbles up. The most famous such springs are the eye of Łola near
Mančiagirė and the spring of Antončik. The spring of the Boba garden in
Margionysi, the coastal spring of Išrūginis (near Zervynys) flows from
deep underground caves, and there are several depths in Lake Versminis
fed by underwater springs. There are especially many springs in the
Skroblaus valley - they not only greatly increase the water content of
the river, but also form sufosis cirques on the slopes of the valley.
Nemunas flows 45 km along the edge of the park. Valuable ecosystems
formed by the river include small sloughs forming deep hornbeams
(Kreisa, Krūčius), sloughs flowing underground (Būkaverksnis,
Papanarys), river islands (Merkinės island at the confluence of Nemunas
and Merkis, Pastraujos island at the mouth of Straujas, an island near
the village of Žilvičiai). . In Merky there are larger islands above
Puvočiai and at the confluence with Skroblum. In total, the Merkys flows
37 km through the park. Ła, Grūda, Skroblus, Glynas, Javoniškė flow into
it in the park area. The stretch of Ula in the park is 25 km long. This
river is characterized not only by flowing, cold water, but also by
steep, rocky banks (Mančiagirė cliffs). In the park, Povilnis,
Išrūginis, Beržlynas and Bižų upelis flow into it. The park contains
most of Grūdas Vagos. This river collects the waters of the Čepkelais
raisto through the Musteika stream (other tributaries are Beržupis,
Zackagiris, Versminio stream). A distinctive feature of Grūda is its
extremely abundant and picturesque bends in the wide, more than 2 km
wide sensleni. Strauja, a tributary of the Nemunas, is characterized by
a lake basin, rapidity, and in the past there were 4 water mills, and
after the war, a water power plant was installed near this river for
some time.
There are 48 lakes and small lakes in the Dzūkija
National Park, the total area of which is 232 ha. The shore is not
very lakey. Most of the lakes are concentrated in the vicinity of
Merkina, on the edge of the Dzūkai highlands - lakes Lizda, Ežeryn,
Krakinis, Galvinis, Kazamkēlis, Bedugnis, Ešerinis, Laujas. The
surrounding lakes of Gilšės, Kampinis, Pakelinios, Linamarkas, as well
as Gelovinės lake, which 11 thousand years ago, are located in the
vicinity of Subartonii. year reached 4 km in length. On the right bank
of the Nemunas there are 6 small lakes (Pakampys, Giluišis, Netiesis,
Netiesėlis, Dumblis, Balažeris), formed in the flood zone of the Nemunas
and flowing into the Apsingė basin. In the ravines of the Dzūkija dunes,
there are small, round, often swampy thermokarst lakes - Lake
Bakanauskas, Trikampis, Kastinis, Mekšrinis, Išrūginis, Versminis,
Akležeris, etc. Other larger lakes of the park are Lynas, Glynas.
Dzūkija National Park surrounds the Čepkelės mountain range from the
north and west. There are 77 living wetlands larger than 1 ha in the
territory of the park itself. Their total area is 1504 ha. Another 15
bogs with a total area of 530 ha have been cultivated (drained). Large
areas of low-lying marshes lay on the site of the now-subdued Cable
Fishing Ponds. Most of the high marshes of the park are located in the
surroundings of Musteika, while low marshes and intermediate type
marshes are concentrated in the valleys of the Kempe, Musteika, and
Skroblaus streams. More important wetlands of the park: Imškės upland
wetlands, upper Musteika wetlands (Pastalikė), Bakanauskės wetlands,
intermediate wetlands in Skerdzimės meadows (Kapiniškės), Bižai
wetlands, Krakini (Lizdas) wetlands and reeds, a belt of lowland and
intermediate wetlands in the Netiesai region.
Cultural landscapes
The landscapes of Dzūkija have been changed by man for a long time -
forests are cut down, meadows and meadows are mowed, charcoal is burned,
mud ore is smelted, wax and honey are collected. As a result of such
activities, a mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes was formed in
the territory of the Dzūkija National Park. Some species have adapted to
human-made habitats and become dependent on them. Buzzards, coots, green
mallards, smoky red-tails, hedgehogs, ferrets, stone martens, black
rats, squirrels, and bats live near the wooden huts. In open sandy areas
(clearing areas, half-timbered dunes, barracks) grow Lithuanian
nightshade, bitter shillock, sand brush, Gorski's pufferfish, and
one-horned sedge. Grassland meadows are a very important habitat for
butterflies, wild bees, and various other insects. Wet meadows are
inhabited by frogs, woodpeckers, owls, buzzards, and foxes. Patches of
dry meadows with meadows of fescue, sedges, and sedges remain in the
river valleys. Wet meadows are more common - sedges, sedges, sedges, and
sedges and sedges grow closer to the water.
Agricultural lands
occupy ~5% of the park's territory. As a result of the decline of
traditional farming, cultural landscapes are shrinking - meadows grow
into forests, river slopes become thickets. The vitality of some areas
is maintained by mowing them, burning the forest floor in some places.
Biodiversity
Dzūkija National Park is characterized by great
biodiversity, abundance of different biotopes and habitats. 254
protected species are found here (111 - animals, 100 - plants, 43 -
mushrooms and lichens). The number of protected species is constantly
changing, because some species have spread so that they no longer need
to be protected, some species are discovered in the park, come from
elsewhere, and some disappear.
Plants
210 species of mosses
have been found in the national park: 40 lichens, 149 species of green
mosses (21 of which are lichens). The greatest variety of mosses is
found in wet forests - black alder and spruce. In the marshes, rare
mosses grow - the shining sedge, the downy egret, the crooked sedge.
754 species of vascular plants have been found in the park. These
are mainly aster, bellflower, sedge plants. In the pine forests of
southern Lithuania, junipers grow abundantly, mistletoe parasitizes
birches and other trees, there are many medicinal plants (thyme, meadow
sedges, sand sedges, cattails, wormwood, heather, valerian), berry
bushes (blueberries, lingonberries, cranberries, cranberries in swamps).
In dry sandy meadows and kerpšili sites, species that are very rare
or not found elsewhere in Lithuania grow - Borbash's carnation, angular
garlic, Lithuanian nightshade, sand fescue. A relict plant from the Ice
Age grows in the marshes - Lapland's sedge. In the spring, windy
nightshade, sandwort, and Gorski's puffball bloom on the heather slopes,
and on the more fertile slopes, the mountain arnica, a plant of European
mountain meadows, blooms. A rare five-leaf clover grows in the meadows,
and a greenish nightshade grows in the woods around Liškiava. In the
thickets and edges of the pine forests, the dark-leaved scutum is
common, in the meadows of Merkinė and Maksimonių, a very rare species of
mayflower blooms - the forest bald eagle, in the Skroblaus valley - the
red heather. Another rare orchid grows in the valley of the Povilnis
stream - the broad-leaved clog. There, as well as in the forests of
Ucieka, the bulbous barberry grows. On the slopes of the Nemunas valley,
perennial sedge, forest burdock grows, and in the oak grove of
Subartonii, forest sedge. In the waterlogged forests of Musteika,
rare-flowered mistletoe, steep heather, and tall ivy grow. Broad-leaved
cuckoo, Baltic cuckoo, spotted cuckoo, red cuckoo bloom in the riverside
meadows in spring. In autumn, narrow-leaved gentian blooms in the
poplars. On the slopes of the Skroblaus hills, small-flowered mayflower,
glabrous linoleum, blue gentian, and large-flowered blackhead grow. In
the heath sites, rare plants related to ferns grow - multilobed
bellflower and branched bellflower. The confluence of Nemunas and Merkis
is particularly famous for rare plants (including Delavinis keleria,
sandy fescue. In the lowland sedges, the yellow hemlock grows, in the
spring-fed high marshes - marsh rock sedge, in the Bakanauskai and
Krakini marshes - pond sedge, in the vicinity of Musteika - brown
cypress, in the intermediate marshes - double-leaved mudweed, marsh
sedge, slender sedge, slender birch, blue-leaved sedge.Rounded sedge
grows in spring-fed cirque marsh in autumn.Ratgrass still grows in crops
that have not been sprayed with herbicides.
Meinshausen's float
grows in the Merk's waters, and giant sea urchins grow on its spring-fed
shores. In the Skroblaus and Kempė rivers, the hairy gray is turning
yellow. On the sandbanks of the Nemunas River, a brown wagtail is found,
and near Merkina there is a yellow plover.
Mushrooms
771
species of mushrooms have been counted - more than half of them are cap
mushrooms, one third - sponges. Dzūkija shills are characterized by a
large number of edible mushrooms - porcini and pine boletus, squirrels
(locally called lepeškas), green mushrooms (zelionkas), yellow
champignons (makavykas, juodzikas), bobausii (smarškas), sylbaravykis,
there are a lot of red-tops (varrows) in the birches and wet forests,
lepsies (barbers). They are collected less often, but there are plenty
of milkweeds, gorse, gorse, springtails, and baltic. Meadow mushrooms,
cornflowers, and scaly mushrooms are common in the meadows. There are
many rare species that are adapted to break down the wood of old trees.
In the vicinity of Česukės, cabbage-head curls are sprouting, in
Subartonys - branched sedum. The real red pinto, the pink pinto, the
real glitter, and the coral brittle mushroom grow on the outcrops. There
are also 258 types of braids, among which the most common are deer and
forest sedges, which form grayish-green carpets in cypresses.
Among the rare lichens, we can mention the tufted lichen, the changing
elm, the umbrella elm, the broad platus, the scaly bear's foot, and the
mossy diplostis.
Animals
54 species of mammals are found in Dzūkija National Park.
Moose are common in the dark forests of Musteika's surroundings, on the
outskirts of Čepkelės, red deer that like the river valleys, a lot of
roe deer, foxes, wild dogs, wild boars. Wolves live mainly in the
vicinity of Musteika, Lynežeris, and Randamonis. Subartonyi forest is
characterized by a particularly high diversity - 31 species of mammals
are counted here. The lynx lives in the dark spruces and poplars. The
great dormouse lives in the oak groves of the banks of the Nemunas. In
the rivers you can find sardines, in marshes, in the meadows - white
hares. Otters dig caves near fast-flowing streams. Rare bats live in the
wooden huts - the late bat, the brown bat, the pygmy bat.
~200
bird species have been observed in the park, 39 of which are listed in
the Lithuanian Red Book. 142 species nest in the park, 51 species fly in
during migrations, and 7 species fly here to spend the winter. Finches,
tufted titmice, many-winged flycatchers, black sandpipers, mistletoe,
black thrushes and song thrushes are common in Šila. Cuckoos, kestrels,
buzzards, smoky red-tails, barn swallows, sparrows, great tits, and
sparrows are common in forest areas, near old houses. In winter, water
thrushes fly to the streams of the Dzūkija heath, as well as wintering
sparrows, snowy plovers, chimčiaks, tufted plovers, northern finches,
and alder warblers. In the tall, evergreen pine forests near the Nemunas
and Merkis, sketsakalis are built, in old trees, in the thickets of the
meletus, ptarmigans and harriers build their nests, and in the forests
of Musteika, the great egret is heard. Black storks, wasps, and hen
hawks make their nests in dark spruces and black lichens. Nuptials,
grebes, and grouse make weddings in poplars. Quails sometimes appear in
Merkinė, Nest fields. Cranes are nesting in the marshes around Musteika,
near Skroblaus, and a meadow ling is observed in the Skerdzimi meadow.
On the shores of Ła, Merkis, Grūda, mullet fish. Brasses, which were
once quite common, are now very rarely overlooked.
12 species
have been recorded in the amphibian park. Among them is the rare
red-bellied warbler, which holds noisy concerts in the spring. Since
2007 the park is home to a European woodpecker that came from the south.
The most common species of amphibians are the meadow frog, the small
grass frog, the gray toad, the pointed-nosed frog, the garlic, and the
reed toad live in the puddles of the Subartonyi forest. The crested newt
lives in Merkis Senvagės.
Dzūkija National Park is home to all 7
species of reptiles found in Lithuania: vipers, snakes, very rare
smooth-necked snakes (mostly in the Imški marshes), glaucous snakes, and
several species of lizards in drier places live in the marshes and
wetlands. The surroundings of Merkina are famous for ball turtles.
32 species of fish and roundworms are caught in the park's rivers
and lakes. In the past, the rivers of the Merkis and Nemunas middle
river basins were famous for bream, trout, slag and salmon, but after
the construction of the Kaunas HPP dam, these fish almost do not come to
Dzūkija. Undemanding fish species prevail in streams and marshy lakes -
perch, roach, roach, bream swims in the Nemunas, other larger rivers,
there are bream, bream, tench, shad, tench, and pike. Vines are located
in the old furrows and marshy streams of Merkis.
~760 species of
butterflies fly in the park, mainly in the meadows of lower Merkis, in
the Skroblaus valley near Kapiniškės (in the Kapiniškės landscape
reserve). near Dubininka, on the slopes and meadows of the Nemunas
Valley near Maksimonii, Maksimi, Ucieka, as well as in the meadows of
Liškiava surroundings, in the Jonionii quarry, in the Łola valley above
Zervyni, in the meadows of the northern coast of Lake Dēlinis, in the
marshes of Musteika surroundings. Rare species characteristic of the
south are found, such as steppe bluebird, sand bluebird, red-flowered
marmoset, southern marmoset, red-winged plover, and relict marsh satyr
and northern warbler. The pine bluebird, spotted bluebird, greenish
bluebird, and black hesperia are included in the Red Book of European
diurnal butterflies. Estonian cypress flies along the banks of the
Merkis, in the sedge swamps of the river banks - the great goldfinch,
the gray-green warbler.
About 612 species of beetles are found in
the territory of the park. These include beetles, ladybirds, ladybirds,
various leaf beetles, weevils, weevils, dung beetles and mealybugs break
down dead organic matter, dragonflies, horseflies, and darters fly on
the banks of rivers. Rare species of beetles are found in forest
clearings - the eight-spotted golden beetle, the mustached carpenter,
the saw-toothed stump beetle. The spotted rattlesnake, characteristic of
the southern regions, lives here. In old oak groves, black alder
forests, where there is a lot of rotting wood, the Schneider's worm
beetle, the black alder flycatcher breeds.
217 species of wild bees can be found in the territory of the park.
Among them, the wrinkled sand bee is particularly noteworthy, whose
usual range is much further south (in the Czech Republic). Kapiniškės
meadows are particularly characterized by the abundance of bees. Other
rare hymenoptera are the shaggy scholia, Semyonov's bumblebee,
cauldron-shaped sand bee, long-nosed sand bee, steppe hairy-legged bee.
Very rare species live in Merky - the blue-winged hemlock, the
armored umbel, the yellow-flowered cordulegaster flies near the streams
of Išrūginis and Grūda.
105 species of molluscs are found in wet
areas. These are various slugs, snails, snails. Land molluscs are
abundant in the vicinity of Ucieka, in the Straujas valley, on the banks
of the lower Merkis, and aquatic molluscs are abundant in Lynos lake, at
the confluence of Straujas and Nemunas. The protected species are the
oval geldute, the small spinner, the four-toothed spinner.
Heritage objects
Natural heritage
The territory of the park is
rich in natural and cultural heritage. 42 natural heritage objects have
been recorded, of which 18 have been declared natural monuments (2012).
The objects of geomorphological heritage are picturesque river
valleys that cut through dune ridges leaving behind impressive cliffs:
these are the Mančiagire cliffs formed by Ła (height up to 28 m), the
Mardasavas cliff near Merkis (28 m), the Ucieka (42 m) and Krušoniy (33
m) cliffs near the Nemunas . Other picturesque surface formations are
the Trakiškės ridge, which stretches 1.4 km near the lower reaches of
Ła, the 41 m high ridge between Galvinis and Bedugnis lakes (Alytus
district), the ridges surrounding the village of Rudnelė near Skroblaus
and the geological cirque, the Sarkajiedų ravine, which is surrounded by
the 40 m high hills, the impressive Kiškeliuskės moat in Panemune
(length 700 m, depth up to 15 m, springs gushing out at the bottom). The
outcrop of Liškiava is already covered with trees, but here 70-130
thousand come to the surface. annual lake sediments.
The
hydrographic heritage includes Lake Bedugnis, a group of four lakes in
the Netiesi forest, Nemunas river (stones, skis) - Bajorė near Maksimųi,
Suuvėi's river near Maksimonii. There is also a spring-fed ravine in
Margionyse, from which the Skroblus flows - Boba's garden. Between
Mančiagirė and Žiūri, on the coast of Łola, a verdene simmers - the eye
of Łola.
The Lithuanian linden rustles in Margiony, the Zervyno
oak tree in Zervyno. The wooden beekeeping that has been cultivated in
Dzūkija for a long time is still remembered by many preserved pine trees
(~20) - some of them have already dried up, others are still green.
Larger groups of them are located near Zervyn (tree pines of Zervyn), in
Marcinkoniy, Darželai, Musteika gioria. The old trees are interesting
because 100 years ago elongated vertical trees were carved into them for
bees to live in. Sometimes such trees were carved high from the ground
so that the bears could not reach the honey, and the people themselves
climbed up to them with a special rope made of braided ropes. Later,
bees were kept in the cuttings of such trees - stump hives. Even now
they can be found in Musteika, Margionii, Zervyn and other villages.
Cultural heritage
More than 50 cultural heritage objects are
protected in the national park. The region is famous for its old Dzuk
villages, which have preserved their traditional architecture. The
ethno-cultural villages of Zervyn, Musteika, and Žiogelii have best
preserved their heritage. Traditional architecture is also abundant in
other villages of the park - Mančiagire, Lynežery, Dubininka, Rudnele,
Margionyse, Darželei, Ucieka, Subartonyse and elsewhere. The Panemunian
settlements are notable for their urban architectural heritage - Merkinė
(with the church built on the site of the Merkinė town hall) and
Liškiava (with the Liškiava Holy Trinity Church and the Dominican
monastery).
There is a lot of historical heritage from various
eras: Stone Age campsites and flint mines have been found on the banks
of Merkis, Łala, and Nemunas. The jagged stones near the village of
Jononii are sometimes considered an archeo-astronomical observatory.
Medieval battles are remembered by riverine mounds - Merkinė mound,
Liškiava mound (next to it - Liškiava alkakalnis).
In the Dzūkija
National Park, the features of traditional farming have probably
survived for the longest time in Lithuania: wooden beekeeping, common
livestock grazing, traditional crafts (wood carving, basket weaving,
production of various homemade rakands), live performance of folk songs.
Traditional Dzuk household items were exhibited in 1996. In the
ethnographic museum established in Marcinkonyse. It also hosts
educational, tradition-building events (such as traditional
candle-making). Wooden and stump beekeeping supplies and live beehives
are kept in Musteika, in the Dzūki wooden beekeeping museum. An annual
camp for traditional crafts ("weaving") is held there, and honey is
collected in autumn. The museum is overseen by beekeeper, artisan,
ethnographer Romas Norkūnas. In the vicinity of Liškiava (Aušrinė),
local explorer and writer Henrikas Gudavičius has planted a garden of
rare plants, where he grows various rare, endangered plant species.
There are several potters working in the vicinity of Merkinė (the old
kind of potter's pottery - black potter's) is being developed.
There is a local history museum in the town hall-church of Merkina,
the Vincos Krėvės memorial museum-house and the Lithuanian Tatar
household museum in Subartonysi, and the V. Gaidis laying theater in
Margionysi. In the village of Rudnelė there is the gallery "Andeinė" of
graphic artist Gražina Didelytė.
Residents
A large part of the
park is inhabited by sila dzuks. They have been living in villages
established in forest clearings for a long time, they earned money by
cutting, selling the forest, transporting wood to the railway station,
hunting, beekeeping, picking berries, mushrooms and selling forest
products in the summer. Ancient customs, harvest magic, and ancient
customs survived here for the longest time. Wood carving,
cross-stitching, basket weaving were developed. The inhabitants are
characterized by community spirit and a living oral tradition.
On
the western edge, the park includes the villages of Grunt and Panemuni
dzuks. The dzuks of Grunts were traditionally involved in agriculture
and animal husbandry, lived relatively well, and used more advanced work
tools. Pottery and brick production were developed. The dzuks of
Panemini were traditionally engaged in sailing and fishing.
The
Dzuk dialect is still widely used in the territory of the park.
Tourism
In the Dzūkija National Park, the Merkinė observation tower
(26 m) has been adapted for tourism purposes, and visitor centers have
been installed in Marcinkonyse and Merkinė. Popular water tourism
(kayaking in Ła, Merkiu, Nemunu), berry picking, mushroom picking,
swimming by the lakes, cycling, walking. in 2004 the development of
tourist infrastructure began - camping sites, rest areas, gazebos,
trees, and information stands were installed.
Educational trails
created for the needs of tourists:
Dziackagiris educational trail
(13.8 km/10.5 km/7 km) - around Marcinkonii (Grain loops, Aklažeris,
Klonii hill dune, Dziackagiris stream, beaver caves);
Girinis
educational trail - around the vicinity of Marcinkonii (red-bellied
warbler habitats, medicinal plants, rare plants, recreation area by the
pond);
Skroblaus educational trail - around Kapiniškii (Bakanauskä
lake and marsh, source of Boba's garden in Margionyse, spring-fed
Skroblaus stream, source of Čiršti);
Educational trail of wooden
beekeeping - around Musteika, in the Gudus forest (after a forest where
you can see trees and stump beehives in a natural environment);
Ionionii educational trail - around Ionionii (Ionionii stones, Pamerkis
island);
The educational trail of the collection of rare plants - in
the vicinity of Liškiava, on the left bank of Krūčius (introducing the
diversity of the flora of Dzūkija);
At the edge of the park, the
Čepkelės educational trail (1.5 km) begins, leading to the Čepkelės
raist.
The park has bicycle routes, the tracks of which are
marked with stripes of different colors:
Marcinkonys–Čepkeliai–Musteika–Margionys–Marcinkonys (39 km)
Marcinkonys–Darželiai–Kapiniškiai–Margionys–Marcinkonys (26 km)
Marcinkonys–Zervynos–"Ula's Eye"–Žiūrai–Marcinkonys (42/30 km)
Granata Merkinė–Subartonys–Samūniškės–Merkinė (15 km)
Zervynos–Trakiškai–Puvočiai–Marcinkonys (26 km)
Marcinkonys–Lynežeris–Kašetas–Zervynos–Marcinkonys (35 km)
Merkinė–Radyščius–Liškiava–Žeimiai–Panara–Merkinė (45 km)
Merkinė−Česukai−Pašilingė−Maximai−Ucieka−Žiogelii−Druskininkai−Gailiūnai−Liškiava−Žeimiai−Gudeliai−Panara−Merkinė
(70 km)
Bianche
Puvočiai–Dubininkas–Viršurodukis–Roduka–Kaščiūnai–Glynos
lake–Mardasavas–Puvočiai (31 km)
Varėna–Lavysas–“Ula
akis”–Zervynos–Pauosupė–Palkabalis–Varėna (49 km)
Merkinė–Lankininkai–Roduka–Norulai–Maximai–Česukai–Merkinė (37 km)
Administration
Director:
Eimutis Gudelevičius
The following
famous specialists from Dzūkija and Lithuania worked or still work in
the park: biologist Mindaugas Lapelė, photographer, regional explorer
Algimantas Černiauskas, ornithologist Eugenijus Drobelis, writer,
regional explorer Henrikas Gudavičius, ecologist Onutė Grigaitė, master
of traditional crafts Romas Norkūnas, regional explorer Onutė
Drobelienė.
Since 1992 the park publishes the newspaper
"Salcinis". Also, park employees have prepared and published
ethnographic, educational, educational books, pamphlets, collections,
photo albums, brochures, and travel guides. Among the most important
publications are the ethnographic descriptions "Kapiniškiai, Rudnia,
Dubininkas" (2005), "Senoji Musteika" (2006), "Liškiava" (1999),
"Mardasavas" (1999), "Margionys" (1998), "Musteika" (1992), historical
monograph "Features of Merkinės istoristo bruožai" (2004), books and
brochures about the living nature of the region "Rare and protected"
(1999), "Sutemė shaukliai" (2003), "Land of Eagles" (2004), "Black
Stork" (2004), "Crane" (2006), a collection of sketches "Kur šaltinii
alma" (2005) and others.