Rural Landscape

Although natural conditions are basic and defining foundations of landscape, long-term human activities significantly put finishing touches to landscapes, and the impact of any human activity on the landscape is diverse. A considerate, sensitive and reasonable approach to using natural resources or landscape management eventually results in environmental contributions and economic savings –generations to come should not have to redress the damages that we have left them because of our irresponsible behavior.

Our landscape programme is based on two approaches:

• a land trust, as one of the instruments of non-governmental nature conservation we try to take care of precious pieces of the White-Carpathian landscape and Hostětín surroundings. The land trust takes care of a part of agricultural and forest lands which were purchased by the Veronica Foundation in 1998.
• we promote expert discussions on landscape: we have been regularly organizing the international interdisciplinary conference Rural landscape since 2003 which creates a working framework for the meeting of young experts interested in the topic of the country and landscape. An expert debate, collective production and further education are evenly included in the three-day programme of the conference. The opening day the participants present their contributions to each other is followed by an all-day workshop focused on a landscape topic. The conference is closed by a field trip around the attractions of the White-Carpathian landscape.