[4] The Tatra Mountains form a natural border between Poland to the north and Slovakia to the south, and the two countries have cooperated since the early 20th century on efforts to protect the area.

Slovakia created an adjoining national park, and UNESCO later designated the area a transboundary biosphere reserve.

Up to 1,250 metres (4,100 ft) there are mainly silver fir (Abies alba) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests.

Other typical species include Swiss pine (Pinus cembra), edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum), and stemless carline thistle (Carlina acaulis).

Animals include: the Tatra chamois, Alpine marmot and Tatra marmot, protected since the mid-19th century; brown bear, Eurasian lynx, gray wolf, European otter and the lesser spotted eagle.

Distinctive elements of their culture include the Podhale dialect (language), music, and traditional artisan customs such as clothes, wooden vernacular architecture, cheesemaking, and craft works.

During summer, domestic animals such as goat, sheep, and cows pastured on the meadows, which contributed to soil erosion.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several mines and ironworks were built here, industries that used substantial harvests of local timber.

Current environmental threats include: the proximity of the fast-developing town of Zakopane; and air pollution from the industrial zones in Kraków, Ostrava, and Orava.