Are Czech national parks at risk of being destroyed?
National park directors are sounding the alarm over amendments to the National Parks Act proposed by MPs. According to them, the amendments would set nature protection back 30 years. The Ministry of the Environment also disagrees with some of the proposals.
Most of the amendments to the National Park Act were put forward by Civic Democrat Member of Parliament Jan Bureš. Director of Šumava National Park Pavel Hubený explained the ramifications of the proposals to Czech Radio:
"Some of the proposals are so extreme, so damaging, that if they were to pass, they could lead to the complete destruction of the current national parks and, quite literally, to the destruction of the forests within them."
MP Bureš stands by the proposals and says he was encouraged to do so by, among other factors, the residents of the Křivoklátsko region, where a national park is also to be established:
"They don't want a national park because municipalities have very little say in the matter; the national park director would have complete control. So, let's focus on improving the status of municipalities within the national park. We need to find a compromise—this is the role of a politician. People in the villages tell me that no one is talking to them."
Environment Ministry spokeswoman Veronika Krejčí said the ministry does not agree with the amendments which, as she says, would be liquidating the national parks.
"Some of the amendments proposed by individual MPs are unacceptable, as they would jeopardize the functioning of national parks, even in terms of international standards and the principles of nature conservation."
For example, MP Bureš proposes that previously negotiated agreements with municipalities in all parks must be reopened. Jakub Kašpar, coordinator of the National Parks Association, also opposes another parliamentary proposal, which suggests that the so-called ‘dry forest’ is not a functional ecosystem and can be cut down, even in restricted zones.
Critics further say that MP Bureš lacks a tourism development plan. According to existing data, about sixteen million tourists visit national parks in Czechia every year, the largest number of them is in the Krkonoše National Park, with thirteen million annual visitors. Without a plan, there might be a risk of too many visitors to the parks.
Jaromír Bláha, an expert of Hnutí DUHA (“DUHA Movement”), has long been involved in forests in national parks. He considers MP Bureš’s amendment to be one of the worst he has “ever read in his life.”
"In fact, we can't believe that it is even possible today for a judicial deputy to propose destroying our national parks, our natural jewels."
MPs are expected to discuss the amendment to the National Parks Act in its second reading this week.
