Environment minister proposes protecting entire biotopes in nature conservation

Environment Minister Petr Hladík has proposed a change of legislation that would improve the protection of plant and animal species by protecting whole biotopes. The protection of endangered species would thus be based on  the protection of their habitat and local populations. The amendment would establish three categories of protection, with plants and animals in the highest category receiving special attention. Care for individual biotopes would be based on regularly updated Red Lists published by the Nature Conservation Agency.

Animal and plant species have been disappearing at an alarming rate around Europe. Flying insect populations are particularly at risk. More than 75 percent of them have been lost over the last three decades.