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Because of their extreme environment and vulnerability, mires are well able to reflect the ongoing climate change. Northern mires are presently being studied intensively from this point of view. But little is known about the effect of climate change on peatlands in temperate zone. Monitoring of mires in sensitive montane regions of continental Europe can provide valuable information in this regard. This article uses more than 10 years of data from our monitoring to show hydrological and vegetation changes in well-preserved mountain mires. Primary attention has been paid to mire hydrology, especially the water table and its fluctuations, and vegetation, as they are among the key drivers for carbon cycling and ecological processes in peatlands. The results presented reveal a decreasing mean water table level in the studied mires, particularly in ombrotrophic bogs where their distinct microtopographic features show different responses. Minerotrophic fens well supplied by upwelling groundwater present a more hydrologically stable picture. Changes in mire vegetation were also found, the most significant shifts recorded being among wet microtopographic features related to open bog expanses (sedge hollows, lawns). For example, the cover of Warnstorfia fluitans and sedges (mainly Carex limosa) was considerably reduced. In contrast, the vegetation of hummocks (representing the drier end of the moisture gradient) proved to be relatively stable, including the species composition of Sphagnum mosses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bohemian Forest represents the most extensive continuous forest landscape in central Europe. Two neighbouring national parks (NP), the Bavarian Forest NP in Germany and the Šumava NP in Czechia, protecting the most valuable part of this area have been recognized as an important site for monitoring of effect of climate change on central European biodiversity and ecosystem structure. For long time, a hydrological monitoring program in the Große Ohe headwater catchment and complex monitoring of glacial lakes recently recovering from acidification were flagships of long-term transboundary research in the Bohemian Forest. Recently published results of biodiversity research in the Bavarian Forest NP and experiences with monitoring of mires in the Šumava NP supported a necessity of multidisciplinary and transboundary research. To improve the cooperation of both national parks, optimize methodologies, and coordinate research activities in the region a new Interreg project No. 26 "Silva Gabreta Monitoring - Implementation of transboundary monitoring of biodiversity and water regime" was jointly prepared. The aims and monitoring methodologies of three main project activities are presented in this paper: (i) monitoring of forest biodiversity, (ii) monitoring of mires, and (iii) monitoring of aquatic ecosystems. In addition, we briefly present several supplementary project activities and tasks, such as modelling of mesoclimatic conditions, monitoring of effect of deicing salt, project conference and common database. As well as sampling design, methods and strategies, and brief overview of the preliminary results are mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The currently prevailing approach to nature conservation aims to balance environmental protection with human well-being and economic welfare of local communities in protected areas and surrounding regions. However, maintaining environmental objectives while meeting the demand of local inhabitants for socio- economic development has proven difficult. In the Czech Republic, this holds especially for Šumava National Park (NP), which has been facing a continuous dissention in terms of the extent to which the local conservation regime influences economic welfare and socio-economic sustainability of the area. The first aim of this study was to review socio-economic research in Šumava NP since its establishment and identify its potential gaps. Second, we aimed to present a pilot summary of available socio-economic data for this study area, namely population trends, unemployment rate and municipal budget revenues, and to compare their levels with other protected areas in the Czech Republic, as well as non-protected areas and the national average. To achieve this, we conducted a systematic literature review and utilized publicly available statistical datasets and databases to derive socio-economic data between 1991 and 2011. The results showed that Šumava NP has undergone a moderate decrease in population in the study period, while the unemployment rate and budget revenues performed the same or better than in other protected and non-protected areas in the Czech Republic. The evidence presented in this paper is in line with previous studies suggesting that there is a gap between the socio-economic reality of the communities in Šumava NP and the prevailing way the quality of life is perceived by local inhabitants and presented in the media. The paper concludes that further systematic socio-economic research is urgently needed to support sustainable nature conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of deicing salt have been studied with the same monitoring methods in three protected areas of the Bohemian Forest. More than ten years monitoring data set from the Šumava National Park and the Šumava Protected Landscape Area (since 2003) together with repeated monitoring conducted in the Bavarian Forest National Park (in 2011, 2012, and 2015) offer an unique opportunity for studying long-term trends and different sensitivities of various habitats occurring in the Bohemian Forest region. The same methodology for monitoring the effect of deicing salt is applied both in the Bavarian Forest NP (9 permanent sites) and the Šumava NP & PLA (12 permanent sites). Soil conditions have been recorded and samples of soil are collected at the study sites annually. The mixed soil samples for each site are analysed by the certified laboratory. Two five-meter long transects for fytoindication run parallel with the road at each site. The first one is located just at the edge of the asphalt road surface and the second one meter from the road edge. Transects are characterised by the percentages of halophytes, sub-halophytes and glycophytes. More statistical analyses are necessary; however, preliminary results have already shown growing concentrations of chlorides and high proportions of halophytic species (>60%) in some locations. The long-term monitoring using a proven methodology was found to be a very important tool for better understanding of the ecological impacts of road salting on surrounding ecosystems in the Bohemian Forest, the area of high conservation value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Šumava National Park is the largest national park in the Czech Republic. It belongs to one of the most valuable terrestrial Natura 2000 sites in central Europe, where large areas are covered by mountain spruce forests. These forest ecosystems are areas of special conservation value. Nowadays, 23% of the Šumava NP area is left without human interventions and this area offers a unique opportunity to study natural forest structure and dynamics. Data about stand structure (live and dead trees, snags, stumps, lying dead wood, and tree regeneration) and plot characteristics (slope, soil, microsite cover, vegetation) are collected within the Biomonitoring project, which has been started already in 2008. Results of the project show successful regeneration of mountain forests after natural disturbances. More than 90% of inventory plots showed the regeneration densities >100 seedlings.ha-1. We found, that there are enough young trees to guarantee the next generation of forests. The project also confirmed that the lying dead wood is an important microsite for natural regeneration of trees, especially for the Norway spruce (Picea abies), a dominant species of the spruce mountain forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The face of Europe has been shaped by human civilization for centuries and wilderness did not only vanish from the continent's surface but also from humans' minds and experiences. However, there are still a few places left, which have remained more or less unmodified and have at least the potential for rewilding. Among them are the Šumava National Park and the neighbouring Bavarian Forest NP, which together create a unique forest zone in the middle of Europe susceptible to host and demonstrate natural forest dynamics and ecosystem processes. This is also a large and very important Natura 2000 area. Transboundary cooperation between both National parks has improved since 1990, when the former Iron Curtain Corridor was opened, and culminated by the project Europe's Wild Heart. The main goal of the project Europe's Wild Heart, which started in 2008, was to develop a transboundary wilderness area in the core zones of the two national parks BFNP and ŠNP. The project area was 13,060 ha and a "life story"of this project is described in this paper. A common "vision 2020"was signed where both parks committed among other things "to achieve a joint core area of about 15,000 ha with harmonized management principles, information services and monitoring networks to officially become the first and largest transboundary wilderness area in Central Europe". Unfortunately, the bark beetle outbreak which followed the Kyrill hurricane in 2008 and 2009 escalated the discussion about appropriate forest management in the ŠNP. Opponents of the national park principles, non-intervention and wilderness concept became more and more vocal. The situation escalated after the election in 2010 when the Green Party was replaced by conservatives (ODS Civic Democratic Party) at the Czech Ministry of Environment. Clear cuttings were started in some former non-intervention parts of the ŠNP and hunting was again allowed in the core zone. Since then, both the management strategies and practical management measures in the ŠNP and BFNP have increasingly diverged. Opponents of the wilderness concept from both countries took advantage of the situation and, currently, the project Europe's Wild Heart is put on ice in both countries. Benefits and challenges of the project Europe's Wild Heart are discussed at the end of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]