Forest biodiversity of the Czech National Parks: How to fulfil the primary purpose of the NPs in the present situation

Biodiversity conservation is one of the primary purposes of the existence of the National Parks, following the IUCN criteria. Management of the Czech NPs faces two main challenges: changing concepts of protected areas and global climatic change. The former concerns an active management on the one hand, and designation of relatively large areas for the wilderness on the other hand. Both approaches must co-exist. The paper then summarizes common and distinct features of the biodiversity in the Czech NPs and stresses the international obligation to halt the biodiversity loss