Departments

♦ Arboretum Department

The Department takes care of the development and comprehensive maintenance of the BG forest park, provides documentation, registration and replenishment of dendrological collections of the Arboretum, maintains intensive grasslands and meadows, ensures the cleansiness of the BG area and contributes to other tasks arising from the BG mission in accordance with its organisational rules.

Head: Dr. Ing. Peter Kelbel
VoIP (enum): +421 55 234 1669, e-mail: peter.kelbel@upjs.sk

List of employees:

• Ing. Barbarič Juraj
• Béreš Július
• Grega Peter
• Varga Pavel

♦ Department of Ornamental and Utility Plants

The Department staff takes care of the areas in the exterior of the Botanic Garden. It focuses primarily on building, expanding, and maintaining collections of ornamental cultivated plants and aesthetically attractive botanical species. In addition, they also pay attention to the range of selected utility species. Decorative plantings, intensive grass areas and water elements in the care of the Department of Ornamental and Utility Flora are located mainly in the so-called “Ecological Educational Area”. Some activities are also carried in the cultivation facilities and in more distant places of the area. A substantial part of the cultivated plants consists of representatives of temperate flora. However, attractive species grown seasonally are also an important part of the collections. They are presented to the public only during the summer season. It is possible to admire them in mobile containers and on flower plantings. During the periods of cold and short days, these species are kept in wintering grounds or survive seasonally under a shelter in the open ground (frost-resistant banana plant Musa basjoo, the so-called pampas grass Cortaderia selloana, etc.). Exotic plants of subtropical origin, which have been able to fully adapt to temperate conditions are also interesting. They are grown all-year-round in the outdoor environment and often bear attractive fruits (varieties of fig trees Ficus carica, Diospyros kaki, Cudrania tricuspidata, Hovenia dulcis, Decaisnea fargesii, and others).
In terms of horticultural and cultivation classification, we pay attention to the following groups of plants:

• Annuals
• Biennials
• Bulbs and tubers
• Perennials and rock gardens
• Woods: Trees and shrubs
• Lawns

Cultivated species may be classified in terms of the following thematic and utility groups:

• Aquatic and swamp plants
• Fruit species and vegetables
• Medicinal, aromatic and spicy plants
• Beekeeping plants
• Outdoor species blooming in winter and early spring
• Roses
• Subtropical species in the exterior
• Plants for containers and balconies
• Ornamental grasses
• Bamboos

In addition to horticultural and botanical activities, we also develop activities in the Department to support ecological management in the countryside. New trends of return to the traditional ways of farming the landscape are reflected in our efforts to address maintenance of the natural part of the area through grazing. We keep a small herd of sheep and goats which graze from spring to autumn, thus prevent mixed meadows from overgrowing with shrub vegetation. Meeting animals is a welcome addition to the schedule for visitors. Manure produced is a valuable organic fertiliser used in growing healthy plants. Families with children will appreciate another schedule diversification, which is a mini zoo. Several aviaries offer the possibility of observing traditional native animals (several breeds of hens and a varied mixture of rabbits).

Head: Ing. Robert Gregorek, PhD.
VoIP (enum): +421 55 234 1673, mobil: + 421 0905 427 318, email: robert.gregorek@upjs.sk

List of employees:

• Hovanová Gabriela
• Jakabová Monika
• Ing. Krejzová Jarmila, PhD.
• Kvitkovský Tomáš
• Semešová Silvia
• Sončová Martina
• Szücsová Eva
• Uličný Milan
• Žiga Marián

♦ Department of Tropical and Subtropical Flora

The main activities of the Department include:

• The Department ensures the year-round operation of greenhouses, which includes maintenance, preservation, and creation of new plantings. Greenhouses are open to the public throughout the year and we try to bring plants of tropics and subtropics from different parts of the world closer together. The attention of the staff is focused not just on the care of plants in the six exhibition greenhouses, but also on the botanical collections in the cultivation greenhouses. The care includes treatment, transplanting and propagation of plants. Plants from overproduction may be purchased on the Open Day (twice a year, see Calendar of Events). The activities of the Department change according to the requirements of the plants during the year, e.g. in the summer months, a part of the botanical collection is flown out, it is winterised in autumn, in winter there is the pruning of large trees in the exhibition greenhouses. High-value collections include collections of cacti and succulent plants (more than 750 taxa), orchids, bromeliads (the richest represented genus is Tillandsia). Our collection also includes carnivorous plants. Another objective of the Department includes the creation of a new exhibition of carnivorous plants for the public.
• Extension of the collection in other important botanical species and taxa (exchange of plants with other botanic gardens).
• Care for tropical fish placed in aquariums in the lobby of the main building, fish in pools in the Viktória greenhouse and bugs in the Greenhouse II.
• Preparation of some exhibitions, such as the exhibition of orchids, bonsai, citrus, cacti, and luminescent plants.

Head: RNDr. Valéria Kocová, PhD.
VoIP (enum): +421 55 234 1576, e-mail: valeria.kocova@upjs.sk

List of employees:

• Bezegová Ľudmila
• Čurillová Alena
• Hečková Mária
• Kačmárová Viera
• Kimáková Viera
• Nalevanko Zdenek
• Olejňáková Jaroslava
• Spanyik Filip

♦ Department of Autochtonous Flora and Documentation

The Department is engaged in the following areas of activity:

• Wildlife species, especially the species native to our (Carpathian – Pannonian) area, but also other wildlife species. We present these species in our exhibitions (rock garden, exhibition Plants in Our Surroundings), and we also grow them as an interesting material for basic research and teaching.
• Preserved plants. Preserved plants appear in our collections for several reasons. As a part of former research activities aimed at the protection of biodiversity and conservation of selected species, we have multiplied and cultivated several preserved species in the Botanic Garden of P. J. Šafárik University, and these plants or their offspring are still present in our collections. Another group of preserved plants are those preserved by international conventions on the regulation of commercial activities with these species. You may see many such plants especially in our display greenhouses.
• Herbarium – it is part of a worldwide network of public herbariums, it has approximately 60,000 items, of which 35,000 are registered in the electronic database. We are currently working on digitising the collection.
• Library. Our library is a branch – a partial library of the University Library. It contains books on various botanical topics.
• International Seed Exchange. Through seed exchange, botanic gardens around the world exchange seed material with each other, which allows them to enrich their collections and exhibitions with various interesting species.

Head: RNDr. Lenka Mártonfiová, PhD.
VoIP (enum): +421 55 234 1674, e-mail: lenka.martonfiova@upjs.sk

List of employees:

• Bakšiová Alžbeta
• Dudová Viktória

♦ Department of Zoology and Plant Protection

It ensures practical implementation of integrated protection of plants against their pests and pathogens, while biological protection is preferred. It deals with the gradual registration of all the wild species of animals in the area of the Botanic Garden of P. J. Šafárik Universtiy. In addition, research is carried out in selected areas of plant protection, ecology and entomology with relevant publications. It offers lectures and exercises in the subject of Integrated Plant Protection for full-time students, lectures on biological plant protection within the University of the Third Age, and occasionally other specific lectures in the field of ecology as required (e.g. within the Botanikiáda or other ventures for the public). It also participates in the organisation of thematic exhibitions including the elements of fauna (especially the annual exhibition of exotic butterflies). Within the Editorial Board of the journal Thaiszia – Journal of Botany, it is in charge of papers dealing with the issue of relations between plants and animals.

Head: Ing. Martin Suvák, PhD.
VoIP (enum): +421 55 234 1671, email: martin.suvak@upjs.sk

♦ Department of Educational Activities and Development of the BG

The Department is engaged in various activities of an educational and promotional nature. It is in charge of the guide service and the creation of schedules for students, which are divided into thematic units and take place in the exhibition greenhouses or in the outdoor area. It coordinates a project for schools called Botanikiáda. It also provides information boards, descriptions and labels for plants presented at exhibitions and permanent exhibitions in the Botanic Garden. It prepares graphics of promotional materials for individual exhibitions and events and ensures the publicity of the Botanic Garden and its events to the outside through social networks, websites, and cooperation with various organisations. It communicates with the Department of the Rector’s Office and Public Relations of P. J. Šafárik University in the preparation of press releases and marketing. It prepares documents for project plans of various types and cooperates in their preparation with the Centre of P. J. Šafárik University for Lifelong Learning and Project Support.

Head: RNDr. Andrea Fridmanová, PhD.
VoIP (enum): +421 55 234 1672, email: andrea.fridmanova@upjs.sk

List of employees:

RNDr. Martin Pizňak, PhD.
VoIP (enum): +421 55 234 1577, email: martin.piznak@upjs.sk

♦ Economic and Operating Department

This Department is engaged in the following activities:

• It is in charge of the smooth operation of the BG, and maintaining order and cleanliness in the BG.
• It regularly checks the operation status of the BG, looking for shortcomings and suggesting improvements.
• It carries out public procurement of goods and services.
• It orders, takes over and controls the deliveries.
• It is in charge of the economy of the BG, forming its pricing policy.
• It is in charge of compliance with the application of legislation in the conditions of the BG.
• It provides maintenance and repair activities.
• It provides ticket sales and security of the buildings

Head: Ing. Agnesa Klimová
VoIP (enum): +421 55 234 1655, e-mail: agnesa.klimova@upjs.sk

List of employees:

• Berta Róbert
• Hudák Jozef
• Hyrošová Martina
• Lengyelová Katarína
• Moňok Jozef
• Oravec Vincent
• Petrilová Anna
• Puškáš Miroslav
• Ružbarský Štefan
• Šesták Milan