Kulér-Summary

Ochrana přírody 2/2024 — 24. 4. 2024 — Kulér-Summary — Tištěná verze článku v pdf

SUMMARY – OCHRANA PŘÍRODY 2/2024

Horáček J.: Fifty Years of the Spa Landscape

As early as fifty years ago, spa towns in West Bohemia wished to protect the spa landscape there. Therefore, the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. Protected Landscape Area was declared. In 2017, new Cooperation Agreement with the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, the Czech Inspectorate of Spas and Mineral Springs was made. It specified new collaboration between the State Nature Conservancy and requirements of spa locations, aim- ing at the State/Public Administration performance, joint projects, and providing data and information. In July 2021 eleven spa towns located in seven European countries were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a new World Heritage Site under the title of the Great Spa Towns of Europe including Františkovy Lázně, Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad and Mariánské Lázně/Marienbad. Thus, the landscape there was for the first time officially called the therapeutic one. Within the procedure related with declaring the World Heritage Site there, special attention was paid to landscape context of the spas. Thus, buffer zones were established reasonably covering forests around Mariánské Lázně /Marienbad and Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad. Goal-directed cooperation between the State Nature Conservancy and Historic/Heritage Preservation allowed to declare the Kladská Landscape Heritage Zone in 2020. Preservation of the landscape character/scenery in central part of the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. was therefore fundamentally enhanced and strengthened.    ■

Tájek P.: Natural Values of the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. Protected Landscape Area (West Bohemia)

The Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Protected Landscape Area (PLA) was declared in 1974, being the 17^th PLA in the former Czechoslovakia. Since its very beginning, it has been aiming at mineral springs and their infiltration areas. In addition to hundreds of mineral springs used by humans or freely rising at distant sites of the sparsely populated region, the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. also harbours a lot of very important natural phenomena – extensive forest peat-bogs, the largest serpentinite area in the Czech Republic, many well-preserved wet meadows or sunny dry slopes with rare orchid species. The PLA also includes the spa towns, namely Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad, Mariánské Lázně /Marienbad and Lázně Kynžvart. The romantic landscape of broad-leaved deciduous forests in the vicinity of Karlovy Vary/Carslbad and Mariánské Lázně /Marienbad, interwoven with trails for walks of spa guests, was also inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021. At the same time, in the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. there are many historic heritage monuments: among the most famous, the Loket Castle, Bečov nad Teplou Castle, Kynžvart Castle and a hunting lodge at the settlement of Kladská should be mentioned. They symbolize the harmonious landscape where historic heritage values meet natural ones and by combing both of them, unique landscape units are formed. More information can be found in Arnika/Volf‘s Bane Journal having been published since 1975. It originally aimed at the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. region, but since 2004 it has also been dealing with interesting issues, fun facts on and new knowledge about the whole Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad Region provided by natural and historical sciences.    ■

Babice sundew little lake.    Foto Přemysl Tájek

Vylita T.: The Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. as the Spa Therapeutic Landscape

The Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. is a part of the world-famous West Bohemian mineral spring area spatially related to the Oher rift structure and wretch or transverse deep fits. The area is from a point of view of hydrogeology absolutely extraordinary by mineral water outflows of various types, spring gas effluxes and peloid reservoir development. Contrary to other identically protected areas, the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. Protected Landscape Area (PLA) was established to preventively protect the natural supportive environment of the most important spas in the Czech Republic – Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad, Mariánské Lázně/Marienbad, Lázně Kyžvart as well as the former spas at Prameny/Springs, Podlesí, etc. In addition to nat- ural therapeutic sources, namely spring waters or natural mineral water sources, there also are peloid reservoirs, declared and protected as natural therapeutic source (from the former village of Čistá to the town of Krásno) or protected from other reasons (Kladská Peat-bogs) and spring gas effluxes, of them carbon dioxide prevails. Within the PLA, specific climate conditions in spas of Lázně Kynžvart and Mariánské Lázně/Marienbad are also used for therapeutic purposes. Effect of the so-called spa therapeutic landscape located in the vicinity of natural therapeutic spas in the Slavkovský les/ Slavkov Forest Mts. has been recently officially recognized in this respect.    ■

Lysák F., Chytrá H. & Kotasová Adámková M.: Slovácké lúky/Moravian Slovakia Meadows: A Way to Restoration

Slovácké lúky/Moravian Slovakia Meadows situated in the Dyje/Thaya River floodplain on the eastern edge of the municipality of Lednice (South Morava) and closely following on from famous Lednice Castle Park harbour extensive and comprehensive floodplain meadows covering approx. 200 hectares. The site preserves the unique biodiversity-rich environment providing a huge range of wild plant and animal species with suitable habitats for their occurrence. Despite their size and diversity, the meadows have partially lost their natural values. Some parts are included in the Niva Dyje/Thaya River Floodplain Site of European Importance (pursuant to Act No. 114/1992 Gazette on Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection, as amended later, the term for Site of Community Importance, SCI, later Special Areas of Conservation, SAC, under the European Union’s Habitats Directive) and the whole area would become a part of the proposed Soutok/Morava and Dyje/Thaya Rivers Confluence Protected Landscape Area. In 2023, within the Jedna příroda/The One Nature project a framework restoration study was conducted aiming at assessing the current state and restoration capacity of the area. The study examines natural conditions, history, drivers of degradation, current state including negative factors as well as possibility to restore the site, taking into account local specificities and restrictions caused by water management and other interests at the site. The study‘s main topics include water regime and vegetation of grassland and wetland habitats in the above area.    ■

Tájek P., Kožíšková H., Tájková P. & Jaška P: Nature Protection, Conservation and Management in the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Mts.

As similarly to other Protected Landscape Areas (PLAs) in the Czech Republic, nature conservationists also in the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. (West Bohemia) deal with grassland management, enhancing forest tree composition or creating pools to support threatened water animal populations. First targeted interventions had begun about in 1990: they included self-seeding woody species removal at the most valuable sites outside forests. In the beginning the measures had been carried out by volunteers, in the 1990s possibility to fund them from the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic appeared in the 1990s. Therefore, their number has been step by step increasing. The Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. PLA was one of the first areas in the Czech Republic where peat-bogs and mires restoration started. First wood small dikes appeared on drainage canals as early as in the middle 1990s. Although a lot of partial restoration measures have been implemented, the total landscape wate retention capacity has unfortunately not been in good conditions. Many legislation and ownership restriction do not allow to change it. Nevertheless, the landscape water retention capacity has been partially increasing at least by creating new small water bodies. In 2013–2023, thanks to subventions/subsidies more than 174 pools covering totally 2.98 hectares and reaching the total volume of 20,800 m3 were created or restored there: the average size of the pools is 171 m².    ■

Fresh beaver‘s browsing.    Foto Martin Dušek

Pánková H.: Dolní Kralovice Serpentinite – Restoring a Botanical Pearl

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 kilometres long a 1 kilometre in width. Restoration of serpentinite pine forests was conducted both in the National Nature Monument (NNM) according to its Management Plan and outside the NNM, the latter being a common commercial forest. In both areas making the growth less dense, mowing and forest grazing and removing the top layer of soil were combined. The approach aimed at unifying management measures on the whole serpentinite body. Due to good collaboration with land owners the unifying has been successful. When monitoring impact of the measures it was found that during planning the further steps it is necessary to consider the impacts more holistically, inter alia taking into account climate change. Although serpentinite species require open growth, making growth less dense on southern slopes is not recommended. The activity also results in higher risk of spreading reed grass (Calamagrostis spp.): therefore, mowing or grazing should consequently be applied. Moreover, serpentinite species spread only slowly: their occurrence at the targeted sites can be expected only during the fourth year. At the site, a diversified mosaic of various habitat con- ditions should be created supporting both trees and the serpentinite species. For enhancing serpentinite species occurrence, such bare sites should be created outside pine seed-years and before ripening of the first seeds. Nevertheless, if the aim is natural restoration of pines at the sites top layer of soil should be removed in a seed-year before their running to seed. Some species including the sandwort Minuartia smejkalii, endemic species for the Czech Republic, are not able to produce seeds at some sites and their populations have been declining there. In addition, forest game also does not allow forests to naturally restore themselves. Thus, all growths have to be fenced.     ■

Fránková M., Soukupová M. G., Bobek P. & Kulichová J.: Phycological and Paleoecological Research of the Selected Mineral Springs in the Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. Protected Landscape Area (West Bohemia)

The Slavkovský les/Slavkov Forest Mts. Protected Landscape Area was established in 1974 for its exceptionally well-preserved water regime including numerous mineral springs. Since 2012, the mires and springs have been classified as Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention. In 2021 the authors conducted phycological and paleoecological research of several springs. They studied the recent biota with a focus on microscopic unicellular algae - diatoms. The authors found species rich assemblages (altogether 103 taxa) with a significant percentage of national Red List taxa. The flagship species of the local iron springs was Pinnularia ferrophila. In order to determine whether the endemic species inhabits the mineral springs in the long term, sedimentary cores collected near the springs were examined. Through the oldest sediments (Novoveská kyselka and Číhaná), the authors were able to look into the wetlands‘ history dating back to the end of the Last Ice Age (13,000 years). The scientists found Pinnularia ferrophila in fossil as well as in modern samples at two sites: in the deepest sediments of Číhaná and also Kramolínská kyselka. The fossil diatom assemblages displayed species richness (111 species) similar to the contemporary ones and national Red List taxa were also found among them. As part of the palaeoecological research, the authors also studied other proxies (pollen grains and macrofossils) that helped to reconstruct past changes in the local landscape.    ■

Wetlands below Vlček.    Foto Přemysl Tájek

Plesník J.: Conservation Genetics Has Been Helping Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection more than a Half of Century

Genetic diversity describes variability in succession of bases within the nucleotides forming alleles within a DNA or RNA molecule, and traits within a species. Therefore, it always is intraspecific. Thus, it refers to the heritable variations between individuals and populations coded within DNA. The combined differences in the DNA of all individuals in a species make up the genetic diversity: in other words, it is the unique genetic makeup of each individual, which is determined by DNA. Genetic diversity allows species, communities and ecosystems to adapt to the environment, resist negative disturbances and to develop themselves: thus, it is the necessary precondition for evolutionary changes. At the same time it significantly supports maintaining ecosystem processes, functions and services and provides human society with a lot of possibilities how to increase productivity in agriculture, forestry and fishery. The main drivers of genetic diversity decline/loss include natural habitat fragmentation, degradation, destruction and loss, overexploitation of populations by humans and climate change. All the factors can decrease abundance in populations and reduce space inhabited by them (demotope). The article briefly summarises the current knowledge of the topic including rapid advances in genomics.    ■

Pešout P. & Kinská dal Borgo J.: Changes in Payments of Compensation for Losses Caused by Nature Conservation Provisions in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishpond Management

In the Czech Republic, there have been payments of compensation to owners for loss caused by nature conservation provisions in agriculture, forestry and fishpond management for twenty years. The legal framework for the compensation payments is set by two implementation decrees which have recently been significantly amended. The methodology for assessing legitimacy and amount of compensation has been developed and specified. Except of areas managed by the respective National Park Administrations, financial compensation payments is managed by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic across the whole country‘s territory. By introducing the scheme in 2004, the Czech Republic joined many European countries where losses to owners caused by nature conservation are in various extent compensated. Step by step, payments of compensation for complications in agriculture, forestry and fishpond management have become one of the most important financial tools of the State Nature Conservancy in the Czech Republic. Although the amount of finances demanded has been year after year increasing it has not reached the estimation made during introducing the scheme into amendment to Act No. 114/1992 Gazette on Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection twenty years ago.    ■

Hofmeisterová H., Hromas J. & Pojer F.: The Český kras/Bohemian Karst House of Nature Launched

Priorities of the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (NCA CR) also include communication with, education of and awareness among the general public and the target groups. Without it, it is not possible to effectively and over a long period protect, conserve and manage nature and the landscape in the country. Protected Landscape Areas (PLAs) harbour natural and cultural heritage of national and international importance. Some of them are a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites) or UNESCO Global Network of National Geoparks/Global Geoparks. Traditionally, they are among the most important and the most attractive tourist destinations in the Czech Republic. The Český kras/Bohemian Karst House of Nature has been the twelfth established by the NCA CR. The Cave Administration of the Czech Republic in close collaboration with the NCA CR, namely the Český kras/Bohemian Karst PLA Administration built a multifunctional facility within the Koněpruské jeskyně/Koněprusy Caves in the Zlatý kůň/Golden Horse National Nature Monument (NNM) located in Central Bohemia. It will serve to visitors to the Koněprusy jeskyně/Koněprusy Caves and the Český kras/Bohemian Karst aiming at helping them to perceive importance, beauty as well as vulnerability of the landscape there and to offer to them a possibility to contribute to its protection and preservation. The House of Nature building contains an exhibition, a multifunctional hall, a playroom, usual utility rooms for visitors (sanitary facilities, a sandwich bar and a shop) as well as modern working space for the Koněpruské jeskyně/Koněprusy Caves Administration. There is an adjacent outdoor exhibition and an educational path through the Zlatý kůň/Golden Horse NNM and its vicinity. In three parts, the exhibition in the House of Nature presents to visitors geological patterns of the Český kras/Bohemian Karst, origin, development and importance of karst phenomena and, of course, Český kras/Bohemian Karst PLA‘s biota: technical parts of the exhibition are complemented by playground equipment, quizzes and riddles dedicated not only for children.    ■

Štěrbová J.: South Korean National Parks

South Kora covers 100,413 km2 and is populated by almost 52 million inhabitants. Korea National Park Service (KNPS) headquarters is located in Wonju, Gangwon province in north-eastern part of the country. The institution manages approx. one third of the country‘s step by step declared protected areas, aiming at all 23 National Parks having been declared yet. In South Korea, National Parks cover totally 6.6% of the country‘s territory and due to high human population density there, they are located particularly in mountain and coastal areas. South Korea has become a pioneer also in wild plant genetic diversity conservation and preservation. A large seed bank launched in 2016 became a part of the famous Korea National Arboretum. The Baekdudaegan National Arboretum Seed Vault Centre is a hidden site in mountains in Bongwa where seeds are permanently kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius to preserve them and 40 percent humidity to keep them viable. The vault is designated as a security installation by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, surrounded by wire fences and dozens of cameras, with restrictions on filming in place and police patrolling on a regular basis: the 46-metre deep tunnel should withstand an earthquake and even a nuclear vast, thus being the safest site in the country. As similarly to Japan, National Parks are considered not only a natural, but also cultural heritage in South Korea. In the country, there are 1,300 Buddhist temples, of them nine were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Therefore, all South Korean National Parks have their own temple. The KNPS rangers manage not only nature and the landscape within protected areas, but also cultural monuments/historic heritage.    ■

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Úvodní foto: Wetlands below Vlček.    Foto Přemysl Tájek