B - Convention on Biological Diversity

With substantial contribution of unsuitable technological approaches, the ratio of land endangered by watererosion (almost 42 % of agriculturally managed land is included in the categories from endangered to mostendangered land) remains high, which also directly affects the state of aquatic ecosystems biodiversity (see theInland water and Wetland Ecosystems chapter).For economic reasons that led to a marked decrease in the quantity of used fertilizers and means for plantprotection in the early 1990s, a repeated slight increase has been witnessed in recent years and it is likelythat the quantities could grow in connection with acceptance of the standards of the EU Common AgriculturalPolicy.In the early 1990s, the Czech Republic introduced management within a sound and sustainable system of certifiedorganic farming. The regime of organic farming is currently employed on approximately 5 % of agriculturallymanaged land and organic farming is supported from public funds.Both the occurrence and quantity of specimens of wild flora connected with farming that were common in the1950s, such as the corncockle (Agrostemma githago), pheasant’s eye (Adonis aestivalis), cornflower (Centaureacyanus), shepherd’s needle (Scandix pecten-veneris), rye brome (Bromus secalinus) or darnel ryegrass (Loliumtemulentum), and wild fauna, such as grey partridge (Perdix perdix), brown hare (Lepus europaeus), Europeansouslik (Spermophilus citellus) or lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), have continued to decrease. The structure ofsoil remains affected to a degree that mostly does not permit long-term survival of soil organisms, particularlyannelids and athropods.Several hundreds of extensive orchards consisting particularly of fruit trees have been maintained; however, theseorchards gradually disappear and their further maintenance will be impossible without any state subsidy policy.Similarly, certain traditionally kept farm animals breed are also endangered (see the Gene Banks chapter).Extensive areas of valuable properties in open landscape are owned by the State, which allows for stipulatingrules of sound management within the applicable lease contracts. On average, 90 % of land used by farms isleased; returning of land to the original owners is proceeding slowly.The Concept of Agrarian Policy of the Czech Republic for the Period After Accession to the EU (2004 – 2013)(CARP), the State Environmental Policy of the Czech Republic and the State Nature Conservation and LandscapeProtection Programme of the Czech Republic have initiated changes resulting in improvement of the currentconditions; however, these changes are not adequate to fulfil the European target – halting the biodiversity lossby 2010.III. Problem Issues1. The landscape structure has been damaged. During the second half of the 20 th century, the extent ofmanaged areas (through blocking of land) substantially increased, important landscape features were destroyed(hedgerows, hedges, rows of trees, extensive orchards, solitary trees, bushes, wetlands), and floodplainmeadows and other meadows and pastures with high species diversity were cultivated and drained. In SpeciallyProtected Areas, the structure of the landscape has not been affected to a degree common in areas more suitablefor production. Valuable habitats of wet meadows, steppes and sub-mountain meadows rich in species areendangered by and abandonment.78