Project name |
|
| Project coordinator | Czech University of Life Science, Prague – Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences |
| Project partners | Forest of the Czech Republic (LČR), Mendel University in Brno, Landscape Research Institute, Czech Union for Nature Conservation, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL |
| Investigator | prof. Ing. Miroslav Svoboda, Ph.D. |
| Total budget | 74 996 900 CZK |
| Budget of CZU | 35 510 200 CZK (CZU FLD 25 511 200 CZK a Forest CZU 9 999 000 CZK) |
| Implementation period | 1/1/2026 – 31/12/2028 |
| Name of programme | Swiss-Czech Cooperation Programme |
Low landscape connectivity and the fragmentation of forest habitats pose a major problem for biodiversity in the forests of the Czech Republic. The aim of the proposed project is to reduce fragmentation and increase the connectivity of forest habitats at the landscape level by implementing practical measures on the properties of Forest of the Czech Republic (LČR, specifically LZ Konopiště), Forest CZU, and the Křtiny School Forest Enterprise (ŠLP). As part of the project, an analysis of current landscape fragmentation for selected groups of organisms will be conducted for these three target areas, which represent a cross-section of forest habitats in the Czech Republic. Subsequently, scientifically grounded and biologically effective silvicultural interventions will be proposed to support the connectivity and quality of forest habitats. Measures will be implemented, such as supporting groups of habitat trees, restoring local springs and wetlands, maintaining and restoring open forest edges, or restoring and creating local open habitats. The measures implemented as part of the project will address the problem of fragmentation at the level of landscape units covering thousands of hectares of forest habitats.
The project team will consist of six institutions: the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, the state-owned enterprise Forest of the Czech Republic, the Landscape Research Institute, the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Mendel University in Brno, and the Czech Union for Nature Conservation. A key component of the project are three forest estates where measures to reduce fragmentation will be implemented. The balance of the team in terms of representation from scientific, operational, and non-governmental organizations increases the likelihood of successful project implementation. The long-term sustainability of the project is ensured by the implementation of pilot projects, which will subsequently serve as a model for operational implementation in other areas owned by LČR.
