Demänovská Dolina (7th May 2026) – The fifteenth edition of the Green Chopok environmental initiative attracted volunteers from across Slovakia to the Low Tatras. Participants helped not only with litter collection, but also with tree planting and improving the surroundings of the largest Slovak ski resort.
A total of 244 volunteers took part in cleaning the mountain resort, with most joining from the northern side of Mt Chopok, while volunteers from the southern side were also involved. “The clean-up covered the entire area – not only ski slopes, but also hiking trails and the nearby lake. We collected dozens of bags of waste and planted new trees simultaneously. An enormous amount of work was done, and I would like to thank everyone who participated. From schoolchildren to senior members of the voluntary mountain rescue service, all generations really came together and lent a hand,” said Jiří Trumpeš, Director of the Jasná mountain resort.
“It has become a tradition by now, and I’m very pleased to see how well it works. Cooperation between the municipality and the resort is essential if we want to clean up the valley after the winter season. For the youngest participants, it is also an educational experience. They can see how much litter remains behind and understand why the valley and hiking trails need to be restored after winter,” said Richard Bros, Mayor of the Demänovská Dolina village.
In addition to the satisfaction of contributing to a good cause, every participant was rewarded with a ski pass valid in the upcoming winter season.
“Following the end of a long ski season, this is also a symbolic way of preparing the region for summer. Liptov will once again offer a wide range of exciting activities and will undoubtedly remain an attractive summer holiday destination,” added Darina Bartková, Executive Director of the Región Liptov regional tourism organisation. The event was co-financed by Región Liptov, with additional support from a grant provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Slovak Republic.
Over the years, Green Chopok has helped remove hundreds of bags of waste from Demänovská dolina (valley) and, in cooperation with local landowners, has also contributed to the planting of thousands of new trees. The Green Chopok initiative has inspired similar projects at other resorts operated by TMR. Green Ještěd and Green Špindl in the Czech Republic, as well as Green Szczyrk in Poland, all help prepare mountain resorts for the summer season by cleaning hiking trails and ski slopes after winter.
