SOCIO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE NATIONAL PARK PODYJI

National parks are vast areas serving mainly for preservation and enhancement of biodiversity and according to Act No. 114/1992 Coll On protection of nature and countryside natural ecosystems or those not much affected by human activity should be found there. It follows that national parks should primarily carry out environmental not social functions. On the other hand, it is necessary to realize that the existence of national parks as well as other conservation areas is a public order and that these areas are populated in the long term and the national park would not exist in the long run without getting support from local inhabitants. The objective of this paper is an analysis of social and economic indicators ensuing from the conflict of interests between nature conservation and exploitation of the area by people and evaluation of the effects on local inhabitants, forest owners and entrepreneurs resulting from the proclamation of the National Park Podyji. Some of the aspects in connection with economy of the neighbouring National Park Thayatal will be presented in the paper as well.