Preface

Nature Conservation 2021 — 10. 6. 2021 — Preface — Print article in pdf

Preface František Pelc issue 2021

author: František Pelc

Dear friends, dear readers

Allow us to present you with another issue of our Ochrana přírody/Nature Conservation Journal. This English language issue presents a summary of the articles published in 2020. 

The pressure on natural ecosystems has not abated. Time poses several challenges for nature conservation such as continuing devastation of natural ecosystems, unsustainable exploitation of the landscape, negative effects of climate change, but also the ongoing Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, which has already infected hundreds of millions and killed about 3.5 million people (The WHO estimates the reality to be 3 times higher). I am afraid that only a lack of knowledge and a certain degradation of our value system caused that only an inadequate proportion of people realize how dependent we are on nature and its services. 

This issue is presenting a range of absorbing articles. All of them prove that quality nature protection depends on scientific knowledge, legal regulation, economic instruments and thoughtful public relations. In H. Härtel's article on the transboundary German-Czech national park, "The Saxon/Bohemian Switzerland National Park", we learn not only about its natural and aesthetic values, however threatened by a project aiming at navigability of the Elbe River. According to the available scientific analyses the project is environmentally unquestionably risky for the natural continuum of the river, while its economic context remains questionable. The impact of climate change on the water regime of the forest landscape and the necessary response to its economic exploitation is highlighted by the contribution of J. Hruška et al. The article on "Adaptive Management of Protected Areas" by P. Pešout and E. Knížatková is devoted to the need for a new principles for the implementation of management plans and their procedurally justified flexible modification in response to climate change and other not always predictable factors. 

Another article in the current issue is devoted to the development cooperation in Zambia (written by F. Pelc and M. Lodin). The contribution highlights the systematic support of the ecotourism development in developing countries, despite the temporary negative effects of the pandemic as one of the prerequisites for biodiversity conservation and more consistent financing of protected areas and the necessary support aiming at the economic prosperity of local inhabitants. This intention is the implementation of the European Commission's Green Deal programme.

Czech editions of the Ochrana přírody/Nature Conservation Journal are published six times a year. Every Czech issue includes an English summary of the feature articles. 

The www.nature.cz website offers an electronic form of each issue we publish. In addition to the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic and the Cave Administration of the Czech Republic, four national park administrations are also involved in publishing of the journal.

Hope you find our articles interesting 

František Pelc
Director,
Nature Conservation Agency 
of the Czech Republic
Chairman, 
Ochrana přírody/Nature Conservation Journal 
Editorial Board