Abstract
A socio-environmental survey amongst the inhabitants of the Sumava National Park and of the Nove Hrady Mountains took place in the summers of 2003 (Sumava), 2006 and 2007 (the Nove Hrady Mts.) The main aim of the study was to record the opinions and attitudes of local inhabitants of the both regions towards environmental conditions, nature conservation, tourism, and to carry out their subsequent comparison. The objectives included that of ascertaining how and on which issues opinions and attitudes have the potential to be changed. The method of a structured interview and a random selection of interviewees provided us with 200 questionnaires in Sumava and 150 questionnaires in the Nove Hrady Mountains. The most noticeable differences between Sumava and Nove Hrady Mts. respondents were found with respect to the following topics: assessment of environmental conditions; the attitude to potential public access to the most endangered parts of the nature; perceptions about the influence of tourism on the cost of living. Similar reflections were found in the assessment of personal profit from the tourist industry in the region.
Highlights
For the management of biologically valuable or protected areas, there is a necessity for good quality relations and agreement among the three key players: the conservation management, the local inhabitants and the visitors/tourists
The surveys were of a qualitative character, and the topics were focused on different aspects of protection management, tourism and as they were perceived by the inhabitants of selected villages in the Sumava NP and the Nove Hrady Mountains
The second aim of the survey was to map the current situation in the selected Czech border regions from the point of view of the socio-demographic data of a sample of local inhabitants of the Nove Hrady Mts. and the Sumava NP, their authentic reflection of natural and environmental conditions, as well as the assessment of the existing conservation management
Summary
For the management of biologically valuable or protected areas, there is a necessity for good quality relations and agreement among the three key players: the conservation management, the local inhabitants and the visitors/tourists. It is a generally accepted fact that the public needs to be informed, educated and encouraged to participate in the management and development of their area. Such an approach helps in winning larger public interest, support and responsibility for the area (conflicts and problems often rise from a lack of knowledge). Both residents and visitors should have easy access to information on area management [1,2]
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