Zonation of NP as an important tool of nature conservation: consequences of fragmentation of zonatio in Šumava NP

The Šumava NP zonation has been debated since the very establishment of the National park and refl ects the views and opinions on nature conservation principles among various groups of experts. Th e fi rst zonation developed in 1991 fully respected the original intention of the goals of the National park, i.e. leaving space for spontaneous processes in nature. In 1995, the zonation was dramatically changed, because the NP’s senior managers supported the opinion that a European Spruce Bark Beetle (Ips typographus) outbreak can be reduced only by forest management measures, i.e. by extensive felling. Th us, only 13 % of the NP’s territory was within the Zone I and was fragmented into 135 patches, which was strongly criticized by experts. Th e necessity to adopt the new zonation graduated aft er the hurricane Kyrill in 2007, when large parts of fragmented forests were destroyed by wind. A new proposal for delineating the Zone I is based on botanical, forest management and zoological criteria, carefully assessing the NP’s values. Th e proposed Zone I covers 39.2 % of the NP territory and is distributed into 10 units. Th e proposal was delivered as a background for a working group draft ing a New Act on Šumava NP on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic. Good zonation of NPs is concluded to be an important tool of nature conservation but respect for legislation, international NP principles, and current scientifi c knowledge should be the main rule for responsible decision making in protected areas and biodiversity conservation