Podrobné vyhledávání v článcích

The Czech landscape has gone through significant changes over the past decades. These changes have also affected protected areas such as National Parks (NPs), Protected Landscape Areas (PLAs) and Natura 2000 sites. An analysis of landscape changes, their assessment, and understanding may lead to better management and future governance of these areas.

The Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (NCA CR) is tasked with monitoring the condition of habitats and species, which can broadly be referred to as biodiversity monitoring. The monitoring and mapping of species and habitats significant for the European Union, which serve to fulfil the reporting obligations under EU directives, are funded by the state budget. However, the data collection needs are broader, and to meet them, the NCA CR proposes and manages a range of projects. The most extensive in terms of both objectives and funding are financed by the Operational Programme Environment.

In June 2024, a two-phase “consilium/review board” attended by leading experts was held in the Jeseníky and Krkonoše/Giant Mts. on the needs and possible ways of preserving and restoring biodiversity in the Alpine zone in both mountain ranges. The reason for convening this consultation was the ongoing changes in the vegetation of the Alpine treeless habitats over the last decades. Their probable drivers include the abandonment of long-term farming after the displacement of the German population after World War II and other societal changes in the 20th century, as well as in the increasingly rapid and pronounced global changes, particularly the increase in temperature and high atmospheric nitrogen deposition.

Changes in the woody plant species composition and simplification of forest habitat structure are the accompanying features of forest management in the Czech Republic over the last two centuries. In addition to forest management itself, the reduction in the size of habitats that are little affected by human activity is also related to the overall human use of the landscape. 

Brown coal or lignite surface/open-pit mining, together with subsequent infrastructure and industry, has damaged the landscape in the region below the Krušné hory/Ore Mountains (northwestern Bohemia) over an area of over than 300 km², including structural changes in the human settlement pattern. 

The Czech Republic’s ecological network consists of a system of large core areas (protected areas, biocentres) interconnected by linear ways or routes (biocorridors) or stepping stones. It is thus a spatial network of landscape elements ensuring the preservation or improvement of the state of species populations and habitats, and thereby the health of ecosystems, including the processes taking place in them. It essentially strengthens the resistance and resilience of the landscape structure, and the sustainability of renewable natural resources during ongoing climate change.

In the Czech Republic there may seem to be a wide range of conceptual, strategic and other documents focused – either primarily or as part of a broader spectrum of interests – on nature conservation and landscape protection.

The Dolní Kralovice serpentinites are located in the eastern part of the District of Benešov (Central Bohemia). The serpentinite body is relatively extensive, being 3.5 km long and 1 km in width. About half of the area is protected as the Hadce u Želivky National Nature Monument (NNM) and the Želivka Site of European Importance (SEI, pursuant to Act No. 114/1992 on Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection, as amended later, the term for Site of Community Importance, SCIs, later Special Area of Conservation, SACs, under the European Union’s Habitats Directive), while the other half is part of a commercial forest. Since 2016, restoration of the entire site has been underway, with the aim of harmonising management both within the above Specially Protected Area and beyond it. Discussions are also ongoing with the owner, Forests of the Czech Republic, state enterprise, regarding transfer of land outside the SEI to special purpose forests.

The Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. is a beautiful area with a rich cultural heritage, where humans have been coexisting with nature since ancient times. 

One of the tasks in the Programme Statement of the Government of the Czech Republic issued in March 2023 is the preparation of documents for the designation of the Krušné hory/Ore Mountains (also known as Erzgebirge) Protected Landscape Area in cooperation with the municipalities and regions concerned. So to what extent has the commitment been fulfilled just now when the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic has announced its intention to designate the Krušné hory/Ore Mts. Protected Landscape Area as a public decree, and how long is the way to really achieving this goal?