Region: Central and Eastern Europe, Czech Republic
Author: Civic Association BESKYDCAN
Consortium Member: EPCE Czech Republic
Status: Needs Funding
Budget: $1650
Collected: $1000
Needs: $650
Goal: To establish a Forest Educational Center to promote forest conservation, challenge destructive forestry practices, and to build strong network of forestry activists.
Comment: Eighty percent of Czech forests have been damaged by industrial pollution and mismanagement.
Donor: Zach, New York State [September 2005]
Organization:
This is a newly established NGO (1994) with 7 active members and several
dozen supporters. Beskydcan is a member of the Central European Coalition
for Forests.
Project:
The forests in central Europe are in very bad shape. On the
territory of the Czech Republic, as much as 80% of the forests have sustained damage
due to air pollution. Also, for decades the forest was seen only as
an economic asset and this view is dominant even today.
The aim of our project is to establish a year-round functioning Forest Educational Center in the Beskydy Mountains. Our main task would be to promote forest conservation, challenge common forestry practices and to build strong network of educated people. Our group, Beskydcan, currently organizes summer camps, weekend courses with seminars on forest theory which include practical workshops and demonstration projects. Our efforts have been supported by many of the top leaders promoting environmentally sensitive forest management in the Czech Republic.
| New tents | $785 |
| Communication | $715 |
| VF Administrative Cost | $150 |
| Total | $1650 |
Note: the total project budget is $6570. Only part of that is requested from the VF.