"Stanislaw Rychtarczyk, Baca (a traditional Polish Carpathian..."

#11260667

21 May 2024

Stanislaw Rychtarczyk, Baca (a traditional Polish Carpathian mountains shepherd) drives all-terrain vehicle by his Bacowka on Polana Rusinowa (about 1200m above sea level) in high Tatra mountains, Tatra National Park in Poland on May 21, 2024. Sheep grazing is a centuries long tradition in the whole Carpathian mountains (Tatra is the highest range of the Carpathian). Baca, the traditional shepherd, gathers sheep from local owners and leads their flocks up the mountains to graze during the season, usually from April till late September. Baca and his helpers (Juhas) milk sheep and produce traditional local cheese. This tradition - run under strict regulations in Tatra National Park - was listed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage and is one of many worldwide examples of encouraging indigenous people to care for their landscapes and local biodiversity.

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