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Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

In spite of its relatively small size (78,866 square km), the Czech Republic (CR) is characterized by a high wild plant and animal species richness and diversity. This results from its geographical position at the boundaries between several biogeographical regions, morphological and geological diversity and also from historical and cultural developments.

Of the total area of the country, 67 % lies at an altitude of below 500 m and 32 % between 500 and 1,000 m above sea level. Only 1 % lies at altitudes greater than 1,000 m. The average altitude in the CR is 430 m above sea level. The country is one of the most important crossroads on the migration routes. The biological diversity is well described by the following numbers. There are more than 2,700 vascular plants, 2,400 lower plants, 50,000 invertebrates, and about 390 vertebrates in the Czech Republic. According to the IUCN category, 19% of mammals, 50% of birds, 55% of reptiles, 43% of amphibians, 40% of fresh water fish and 43% of vascular plants are threatened.

Important habitat types include natural forest, peat-lands, major river basins, lakes and fishponds, wetlands, and several types of meadows and grasslands. A third of the country is covered by semi-natural and production forest, while about half is covered by intensively managed agricultural land, 5% by semi-natural meadows and extensive pastures and 12% by other land uses. Only approximately ¼ of the estimated total area (1,300.000 ha) of wetlands remains due to extensive drainage of the landscape for agriculture and forestry. The country has designated 12 Ramsar Sites. However, in evaluating the state of nature in the CR from a pan-European point of view, it is necessary to stress that intensive agriculture and intensive industrial development have detrimentally affected the overall state of the environment.

Number and Extent of Protected Areas

There are 4 National Parks and 25 Protected Landscape Areas in the Czech Republic, a third of which have been declared as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves or Wetlands of International Importance. Furthermore, there are more than 2,000 small-scale protected areas of national, regional and local importance. Overall, protected areas cover 15.9% of the Czech territory (in 2003). The expansion of protected areas (including Natura 2000 sites) is currently under way and coverage is expected to increase to 20.4%.

Percentage of Forest Cover

The Czech Republic is a county with an average forest area, which covers approximately 34%, or 2.6 million hectares, of the country (the OECD average was 34.4% in 2000). It is the 8th most wooded OECD country in Europe. Most forest land belongs to the State, which manages 60% of forest land, and the remainder belongs to municipalities and regions (15%), forest co-operative (1%) and private owners (23%). This situation has remained almost unchanged over the last ten years. Overall, 76% of total forested areas are recognized as economic forest and the rest provide non-productive forest functions.

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

The National Biodiversity Strategy is an ambitious document detailing 158 objectives, such as the publication of a binding list of species whose introduction or spread can be considered a risk from the standpoint of potential impacts in natural ecosystems, and to provide for genetic resource cryoconservation in the national gene banks. All of the objectives of the Strategy are directed towards achieving this target, as agreed by the representatives of the individual countries. The preparation of the National Action Plan elaborating the strategic objectives into specific measures is required by May 2008. This strategic document was approved by the Czech Government in May 2005 and is therefore legally binding for all ministries. They are requested to take into consideration goals of the Strategy in all programmes and sectoral materials, policies, strategies, concepts and legal enactments.
 

• National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (English)
• National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (English)

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

Special protection of critically endangered species is legislated and species survival/recovery programmes and conservation plans for some species have been developed. For example the species survival/recovery programme for the Pearl Mussel has been approved and is being implemented, while those of the Peregrine and Saker falcons are prepared for approval.

In terms of genetic diversity, the National programme on conservation and use of plant and farm animal genetic resources and microorganisms important for nutrition, agriculture and forest management has been in place since 2003. It was declared by the Ministry of Agriculture also to delimit the right and obligations of the state and other entities in relation to conservation and utilization of national genetic resources. To promote sustainable biodiversity use, organic farming is being developed through various initiatives. Targets in organic farming have been incorporated into the State Environmental Policy (2004-2010), the Strategy of sustainable Development, the Concept of Agrarian Policy of the Czech Republic (2004-2013) and many other documents related to specific aspects of sustainable development and agriculture.

The Czech Republic does not use its indigenous wild fauna or flora for international trade and, as a Member State of the European Union, it is regulating import of wild fauna and flora in accordance with the European Community’s legislation and policy on the CITES implementation. The Act No. 114/1992 Coll., on the Protection of Nature and the Landscape as amended, which provides the main legislative framework for nature and landscape management, includes some preventative measures to combat the spreading of non-indigenous species. The Czech Republic is in line with its Kyoto target and continues to work in that direction. With respect to pollution reduction, established targets concentrate on prevention of damage to aquatic ecosystems, increasing the natural retention ability of the landscape and preventing eutrophication.

Initiatives in Protected Areas

The expansion of protected areas is currently under way and coverage is expected to increase to 20.4%. 863 proposed Sites of Community Importance and 38 Specially Protected Areas have been approved in the Czech Republic and will become part of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas of EU importance. Natura 2000, as the basic pillar of legally binding biodiversity conservation through territorial conservation in the Member States of the European Communities, is considered to be one of the key instruments for halting the loss of species and habitats and fulfilling the 2010 Biodiversity Target. The Act No. 114/1992 Coll., on Protection of Nature and the Landscape implements both European directives (Habitats 92/43/EEC and Birds Directive 79/409/EEC and therefore regulates procedures to establish and protect Natura 2000 in the Czech Republic.

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitats (the Ramsar Convention) obliges the Parties, including the Czech Republic, to delimit at least one Wetland of international importance in its territory and to provide effective conservation, as well as to provide for sound management of all wetlands. A total of 12 localities in the Czech Republic with an overall area of 58,537 hectares have been registered in the List of Wetlands of International Importance. Wetlands of international importance that are endangered by changes of their ecological characteristics are included in the Montreux Record – the list of endangered wetlands. The following Czech Ramsar Sites (RS) are listed in the Montreux Record: Třeboňské fishponds RS, (due to intensive management of the fishponds), Litovelské Pomoraví RS (due to their endangering by construction of the water conduit that would unfavourably impact the valley-meadow ecosystems), Poodří RS and Floodplain of the lower Dyje River RS (due to planned reconstruction of water channel).

Legislation is in place for the application of environmental impact assessment procedure to protected areas (Act on Protection of Nature and Landscape No. 114/1992 Coll., Act No. 100/2001 Coll., on EIA), in addition to a list of prohibited actions in protected areas. Moreover, there is a new assessment - Natura 2000 assessment - for actions, plans and projects which can have adverse affects on those sites - running for those sites only. The biggest institutional barriers impeding the establishment and management of protected areas are administrative and bureaucratic procedures, both anchored in the law, which can be complicated and unclear.