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Wolf Enclosure in Srní
Published on 16 April 2021
Czech Republic
Jihozápad
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About this good practice
National Park Šumava is the youngest Czech national park. It was administratively founded in 1991. It contains unique central European primary forests, the most western appearance of such a place in Europe. One of the activities performed by the management authority has been the reintroduction of wolves (Canis lupus). The creation of a visitor centre with an enclosure was a step taken to deal with an increasing public interest in wolves while retaining natural habitat for the beasts. The whole concept includes the enclosure itself, a 3 ha space for the wolves (which itself is inaccessible for the public), an elevated observation wooden walkway for visitors with observation decks, a 3 km educational path through the prime forest and the visitor centre itself with an interactive exposition on wildlife and natural processes in the national park. The visitor centre building is fully energetically passive and the energy needed is drawn from renewable resources.
Resources needed
The budget to create the whole centre, including the building, enclosure, walkway and educational path, was 2.8 mil €, mostly provided by ERFD via Operational Programme Environment
Evidence of success
The success of the whole initiative surpassed expectations. Every year, the complex is visited by over 300 000 people, without negative effects on the wolf pack or the surrounding environment.
Potential for learning or transfer
The learning potential is in its concept rather than the solution because keeping a wolf pack is not an easy task and, in this case, is only possible due to the managing body – National Park Šumava Management Authority – which has the expertise and experience with such ventures. However, the concept is transferable – to open natural heritage to the general public without limiting or damaging the original site or stressing the animals. Such activities boost public interest in wild nature, which, in turn, generates public pressure to preserve such areas and their wildlife. The combination with education, in a form of both an open-air path and visitor centre services, makes it even more worth transferring, combining recent experience from observing wolves with knowledge on their habitat, pack dynamics, feeding chores or reintroduction and preservation efforts. Moreover, it supports sustainable tourism by the provision of 'slow' attraction for which the visitors need time to enjoy.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
National Park Šumava
Czech Republic
Jihozápad
Contact
project manager