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 disturbancy.

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.