Strážovské vrchy Protected Landscape Area was established in 1989 to protect and rationally use the most pristine areas of Strážovské vrchy. The area is almost 31 000 ha, of which the majority is covered by forests (78%). The highest peak within the area is Strážov (1213 m above sea level) covered by a unique sycamore-beech forest. Súľovské and Strážovské vrchy, unlike most mountain formations of the central part of the Carpathian arch, do not have a central ridge, but are cut in all directions by a dense network of valleys and deep valleys. There are relatively high elevations here, because the valleys are located on average 315 - 655 m above sea level, while the peaks are 600 - 1213 m above sea level. The orientation of the mountain range in the north-south direction allows the occurrence of both thermophilic and mountain species of plants and animals.