Environmental Services of Forest Ecosystems: The Czech Republic Case

Abstract

"The paper presented offers a basic information on situation related to ecosystem services that are ensured by forests in the Czech Republic. Presented information concerns particularly water as a general precondition of life. There are included also some basic general information on Czech forestry and added some notes to the respective legislation.

"An understanding of the importance of forests for water conservation, water regimen and environment of cultural landscape by the forestry sciences is described. It includes also description of a base for practical forestry 'non-productive' activities creation, which has the character of services in relation of forests and water with utilisation of results and records gained on the experimental plots of join research projects of bioclimatologic, hydropedologic and silvicultural character. There are described principle findings of systematic research work. Possibilities and necessity of payments for ecosystem services PES are mentioned as well as new issues, which requires to be solved for theirs real introduction.

"National Forestry Programme (NFP) as intended basis to the new amendment of policy and legislation in the Czech Republic. However in the concurrency of ecological ideas and real economic calculations the former results of research was not taken into account and current NFP does not include the transformation of forestry on the integral sector of forest production and silvicultural services. Thus the bases for development of concrete silvicultural services or PES currently are not included in the NFP and under the current status of forestry policy it is impossible to expect that ecosystem services or publicly beneficial forest functions should be supported by forest legislation in some substantial way. The Act on Nature and Landscape Protection is mentioned as well as the new design of Forest Act, which is under the preparation.

"There are noted main related problems including bad medial presentation of forestry, friction among environmental and forestry departments and consequent weakening of forestry sector position and urgent need to improve various laws related to forests and forestry, which could and should concern also such issues like payments for ecosystems services. It is necessary to stress that solutions of many forest-related problems in the Czech Republic lie outside the forestry sector. Consequently it is necessary to underline the cross-sectoral responsibility for forests and forestry issues. There is a need of political will to solve related problems on a conceptual basis and with respect to all stakeholders and related agreements."