Biosphere Reserves As Learning Sites Of Sustainable Development (A Case Study Of The Czech Republic)

Established under the UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, biosphere reserves represent protected areas intended to demonstrate well balanced relationship between a high level of nature protection and an appropriate local development, as articulated in the Seville Strategy and reinforced by the Madrid Declaration. According to their definition, biosphere reserves are to simultaneously fulfil four functions - conservation of biological diversity, ecological education, research and promotion of sustainable forms of socioeconomic activities. They can be theoretically considered learning sites of sustainable development. The chapter contributes primarily to the discussion on social part of the relationship between nature protection and socioeconomic development, namely on quality of life of local population living in protected areas, problems of social acceptance of biodiversity conservation measures and institutional arrangements applied when biosphere reserve concept is aimed to be practically implemented. Comparative analysis was conducted in three selected Czech biosphere reserves in order to challenge a cliche on nature protection and socioeconomic development to be a priori in contradiction as well as the belief in state nature protection being the exclusive leader in the process of the concept of biosphere reserve implementation. Triangulation approach was applied as a fundamental frame for empirical data acquisition and analysis, combining spatial analysis of data describing socioeconomic parameters of particular municipalities, semi-standardized interviews with key personalities, extensive questionnaire survey addressing general public, content analysis of regional periodicals and case study analysis focused on success and failure factors in the process of a concrete project implementation. The research results suggest that biosphere reserves did not differ in quality of life of their inhabitants compared with surrounding areas. In some cases, the existence of biosphere reserve was even seen as a comparative advantage - certificate of high quality nature as a base for local tourism development. In the Czech legislative environment, biosphere reserves are institutionally associated with administration of protected landscape areas. Such an institutional arrangement enables executing of state nature protection, providing public with ecological education, and guaranteeing research on a satisfactory level. There are problems, however, in supporting of sustainable forms of development. Goal oriented network, projects driven, of engaged stakeholders is suggested as a more efficient organizational form in this respect. Evidence of a still ongoing process of teaming by interacting, aimed at using biosphere reserve as a trade mark of some kind, indicates that the biosphere reserves could as well in practical terms be considered teaming sites of sustainable development. The chapter intends to contribute to the debate on ideas of the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014.