IMCG RESOLUTION FOR THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Norway, July 1994

The International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG) is a world-wide organisation of mire (peatland) specialists who have a particular interest in the conservation of mire habitats.

The IMCG willingly places its advice and expertise at the disposal of any government seeking to establish or maintain mire conservation programmes. The IMCG held its 6th Biennial Field Symposium in Norway in July 1994, looking at the particular issues of Norwegian mire conservation. During the symposium, considerable discussion and debate was devoted to the issues of mire conservation in other countries represented at the meeting. A number of resolutions were drawn up for the countries represented, as a means of indicating various ways in which each national government could make a positive contribution to the internationally important issue of mire protection.

The IMCG has learnt that mires form a small part the Czech landscape. As such they have a high ecological and scientific value and, consequently, require a high degree of protection.

The IMCG, therefore, strongly recommends that the responsible state authorities should undertake the following actions:

• that financial support be provided to compile an inventory of all remaining unprotected and intact or functioning mire ecosystems, with emphasis given to the highly endangered minerogenic fens, which are usually situated in intensive agricultural landscapes;
• that a National Mire Protection Programme be drawn up which establishes mire National Nature Reserves and/or Nature Reserves and includes plans for their optimal management and sustainable use;
• that the necessary legislative framework be enacted to prevent uncontrolled drainage, reclamation and peat extraction on mires which are owned privately or by the state, municipalities, cooperatives and other institutions; and
• that support be given to all types of research institutions which conduct research concerning the ecology, functionality, management and possible restoration of mire ecosystems.

The IMCG hopes that the Government of the Czech Republic will consider these observations to be helpful, and that it will be possible to report positive progress at the next Biennial IMCG Symposium