Environmental management - case study from South Bohemian rivers Stropnice, Lužnice and Blanice

The management of water eco-systems on a general level is a part of a larger issue of the environmental management in a particular region. In the case of river wetlands, it is especially about the connection of the economic management of the area with the environmental management whose objective is to achieve economically sustainable use of the stream and river wetlands. To fulfill this requirement, it is necessary to find a certain ratio between the “top-down” and “bottom-up” management. The objective of the presented sociological survey was to acquire an idea of how the existence of the wetland and its ecological functions is perceived by the local population. In other words, it means they are social, cognitive and value orientation of the local population as assumptions of the “bottom-up” management. This survey was performed in three river wetlands in South Bohemia – wetlands of the rivers Blanice, Stropnice and Lužnice which were selected according to the degree of anthropogenic changes in the wetland from a relatively natural wetland to a regulated one. This survey was performed in two phases by using standardized dialogues with the total number of 300 respondents – meaning 100 respondents in each wetland. The results show that according to the opinions of the local population, it is necessary to increase retention of water in the landscape in a natural way, if possible. The technical solution, which uses reservoirs and which is the most often shown as reduction of the flood risk for the local population, is shown by the respondents on the last place. Acquired results show that the “bottom-up” management which takes into consideration opinions and experience of the population living in the region, can be more efficient and safer to the landscape than commonly applied “top-down” management. Therefore, it is necessary to provide space also for this management type in decision-making process about the type of the management of water eco-systems.