Influence of different management practices on the mountain meadows communities and possibilities of their maintenance in the National Park, Protected Landscape Area and Biosphere Reserve of Šumava are discussed. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of mulching of grassland vegetation with those of traditional mowing or leaving a grassland fallow. The results of a ten-year field experiment are presented - the changes of plant biomass, plant community structure and physical properties of the soil A horizon. Acceptable possibilities of mulching as an alternative technique for the maintenance of secondary grassland in the Bohemian Forest are proposed on the basis of data obtained during the experiment.

My diploma thesis is focused on the subject of biosphere reserves, as an example of special protected areas, with special regard to BR Šumava. There is examined its current situation and its contribution to sustainable development. At the same time there are being found out the opinions, attitudes and expectations of key local stakeholders and other persons and organizations concerned towards the institution BR Šumava. This thesis deals with optimal functioning model of BR Šumava and its future sustainable development.

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In an European context of agricultural land abandonment, the role of the farming community as landscape stewards is crucial for maintaining the rural landscape as well as the ecosystem services provided by this landscape. Such stewardship is studied here by assessing the participation of the farming community in the management of Menorca Biosphere Reserve, a small Mediterranean island with very well conserved and rich rural landscape which is not escaping this tendency of land abandonment. A survey of 41 farms and interviews with 15 stakeholders were performed in order to assess the role of the farming community in participatory management processes and the effectiveness of the Menorca Biosphere Reserve Agency (MBRA) in facilitating their participation.The results show that the participatory activities of the MBRA are effective and highly valued by participating stakeholders but could be improved by: 1) engaging non-associated farmers and traditional farmers in the MBRA activities 2) finding a consensual and long-term solution on issues related to the access to private rural land 3) providing rapid feedback to participants after meetings and 4) transforming the MBRA structure in order to deal with changes and an uncertain future. Failing to do this could illegitimate further participatory activities, erode trust among stakeholders and alienate the farming community and the society, thereby affecting the maintenance of the rural landscape.This case study highlights the importance of appropriate management structure for adaptive co-management to benefit from the participation of stakeholders in general and farmers in particular. The findings should be of interest to managers, scholars and practitioners using adaptive co-management approaches to manage complex social-ecological systems such as rural, cultural landscapes.

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Die Regionalstudie über das Gebiet um die Stadt Lübbenau (Spreewald) zeigt auf, dass die Bevölkerung (wie es die Nomenklatur Biosphärenreservat nahelegt) zwar an vielen Punkten in die Entscheidungen eingebunden wird, dass jedoch Konflikte zu verschiedenen Themen auftauchen, die nicht in einer Weise gelöst werden, die allen beteiligten Interessengruppen eine gleichberechtigte Mitsprache zugesteht. Zudem fällt die Mittelverteilung zwischen Naturschutz und regionaler Wirtschaftsförderung oder Agrarförderung deutlich zu Ungunsten der regionalen Entwicklung aus. Dies hat überwiegend politische Gründe und ist vielmehr in einer gesamtdeutschen Agrarpolitik verankert, als in lokalen Entscheidungsstrukturen. Dennoch fokussiert sich der Unmut in der Bevölkerung vor allem auf die Verwaltung des Biosphärenreservats. Die Arbeit beleuchtet die verschiedenen Konfliktfelder, zeigt die Hintergründe auf und stellt innovative Projekte und Finanzierungsinstrumente dar, die sich im Forschungsgebiet als Antwort auf die als unzureichend empfundene staatliche Finanzierung entwickelt haben. Die den Unterschiedlichen Umgangsformen mit und Einstellungen zur natürlichen Umwelt zugrundeliegenden Wahrnehmungsmuster werden analysiert und in den Kontext verschiedener Akteursgruppen gestellt. / The regional study of the area around the town of Lübbenau (Spreewald) shows that the population (as suggested by the nomenclature Biosphere Reserve) is indeed involved at many points in the decisions making process. however, conflicts arise on different topics that are not resolved in a manner that all stakeholders admits an equal say. In addition, the resource allocation between nature conservation and regional economic development and agriculture falls clearly to the disadvantage of regional development. This has mainly political reasons and is merely rooted in an all-German agricultural policy, than in local decision-making structures. Nevertheless, the discontent among the population primarily focuses on the management of the biosphere reserve. This work describes the various areas of conflict, analyzing the background and presents innovative projects and funding instruments that evolved in response to the fact that state funding is felt to be inadequate. The different ways of dealing with and attitudes towards the natural environment and their underlying perceptual patterns are analyzed and placed in the context of various stakeholder groups.