Czech national parks and protected landscape areas are suffering from a long-term lack of forest guards, according to representatives of nature reserves, while the number of troublesome visitors is increasing as overall tourism levels rise.
The spokespeople said that the most common offences are entering prohibited areas, littering, and unauthorised constructions.
Apart from in České Švýcarsko (‘Bohemian Switzerland’), which was damaged by a large wildfire in 2022, not a single extra forest guard has been added at any Czech national park in at least five years, said Jakub Kaspar, coordinator of the Association of National Parks.
Environment Ministry spokeswoman Veronika Krejci said the number of guards corresponds to the financial resources of the ministry.
Only national parks have professional guards and there are 60 of them in the Czech Republic, according to the Nature Conservation Agency. Volunteers often do this work, but their number decreased from 568 in 2023 to 476 last year.
Kaspar said the low salaries for professional forest guards are part of the problem.
As the no-intervention zones in forests are due to expand in the future, it will be possible to increase the number of guards at the expense of current forestry positions in some national parks, he said. However, this will not happen in the 2020s, he added.
According to the Czech association of nature guardians, the law on nature and landscape protection needs to be amended.
“We are an anomaly in Europe and the rest of the world,” said Jiri Lehky, head of the Beskid Mountains Protected Landscape Administration. “Among developed countries, in which the Czech Republic would certainly like to be included, it is normal that natural treasures are adequately guarded and that someone enforces the rules. And you can’t do that from offices.”
Lehky said the number of troublesome visitors to the parks increased especially during the coronavirus pandemic. “The kind of offence changes slightly as visitors to the mountains change,” he added. “For example, there are more e-bikers and ski mountaineers, but also dog owners, who have to be explained that the mere presence of a dog let loose in the reserve disturbs the animals for which the reserve is there.”
Ondrej Vitek, PR manager of the Nature Conservation Agency, said other offences are picking plants, lighting fires or holding unauthorised events. The poisoning of animals, especially predators, also occurs, though only exceptionally, he said.
An on-the-spot fine of up to CZK 10,000 can be imposed on troublemakers. Lehky noted that the fines have not been increased since 1992.
As the costs of maintenance and nature protection have increased, the Krkonose National Park Administration is considering introducing entrance fees.
Kaspar said data on the number of visitors to Czech national parks in 2024 are not yet available. In 2023, České Švýcarsko had about 750,000 visitors, Sumava roughly 2.4 million visitors, Krkonose (Giant Mountains) about 6.5 million and Podyji national park about 480,000 visitors.
