Accompanying events

Czech Ecological Project presentation

This is a project formed on the basis of a requirement from the commissioner-general's office for the World Exposition EXPO 2005 in Japan. The project authorised by the Czech Republic Ministry of the Environment, focused its content on ecological networks, which are a new tool for the renewal of nature and the landscape of our country. The theme was chosen with consideration to the motto of the World Exhibition, which is "Nature's Wisdom". The "Czech Republic Ecological System" exhibition in Tokyo presented an approach to resolving the issue of the protection of nature in a cultural landscape, unique on both a European and an international scale. It clearly and comprehensibly explained the rules for choosing areas and territory to be "returned to a natural state or to a state close to nature" in the form of structural parts of the ecological system - bio-centres and bio-corridors.

The concept of methodology, planning and implementation of ecological systems in the Czech Republic corresponds in its basic form to the newest methods of landscape planning in various European countries and in some parts of the USA. The manner of applying the methodology and the level of processing detail in the Czech Republic is, however, totally unique in a European context.

Experience in the issue of ecological systems will be able to be utilised within the scope of further expected steps in the European ecological system program known by the specialist public as EECONET. Included in the exhibition was a graphical description of processes for the proposal and implementation of bio-centres and bio-corridors on Czech territory, including samples of completed photographic documentation.

Visitors found basic information on exhibited posters specially created for this purpose. The posters were created in the Czech Agency for the Protection of Nature and Landscape in co-operation with the company Ageris s.r.o., which deal with this issue. They were drawn up in English and in Japanese versions for clarity and vividness. Visitors also had the opportunity to try to design ecological systems in a simplified form by means of a computer game. On two PC systems people designed bio-centres and bio-corridors for a model of the actual cultural landscape from the surroundings of Brno. Afterwards, they connected them according to natural conditions for the life of plants and animals. In the film contribution, which also contained samples from the Czech Republic, visitors could familiarise themselves with the development and mission of ecological systems with the help of a large screen. The "Ecological system" exhibition enabled the wider Japanese public to understand the basic targets of this system in nature - an increase in biological diversity and the possibility of migration of various types of plants and animals. In the globalised world, the necessity of stopping the decline of species diversity on our planet is coming to the forefront.

A consequence of the decline in this diversity may be that in the future we will only be able to see certain plants and animals in books and films. More detailed information on ecological systems was summarised into a specially prepared booklet 'Environment' In this, the reader can find reasons that led to the development of these systems (territorial systems of ecological stability of the landscape) under our conditions. A part devoted to specialist conclusions of this theory and examples of subsequent implementation in our landscape supplements these the reasons. In the final parts you will find a comparison with European and international approaches.

Part of the Czech Republic's presentation within the scope of the ecological project was a large series of posters on natural landscapes with an emphasis on protected territories, including cultural heritage sites. There were nine basic posters divided according to natural landscapes. Each contained a map of the given territory, basic information and special features of the landscape. These nine posters were accompanied by a further eighteen accompanying posters, rich in photographs. A booklet characterising the Czech landscape as cultural, considerably changed by man in the last several thousands of years was also created. All materials were created in two languages - Japanese and English.

The commencement of the presentation took place on May 19th, 2005 in the evening hours at the University of the United Nations in its information centre in Tokyo. Distinguished guests also made presentations; J. E. ambassador of the Czech Republic to Japan Mr. Karel Žebrakovský, J. E. former ambassador of Japan to the Czech Republic Mr. Koiči Takahashi, and commissioner-general Mr. Vladimír Darjanin. The exhibition was officially commenced by cutting a tape in front of foremost representatives from Czech and Japanese society and other invited guests. In the following working days, the Japanese visitors to the exhibition were interested in the reasons for establishing ecological systems and their meaning for individuals and for society as a whole. Attendees included representatives of Tokyo University, the University of the United Nations, Japanese companies for the protection of ecosystems, etc. Interest in the computer game was evident predominantly among the younger Japanese population. Those more mature in age and in specialisation took a look at the game, but aimed more at practical questions and the possible benefit for their work and landscape.

On June 4th there was a symposium at which Japanese experts - Professor Naoki Maruyama, Mr. Houbun Ikeya and Mr. Yasuaki Dohmoto - made presentations. For the Czech side, RNDr. Jan Plesník, CSc. made presentations. The areas were filled almost to the last place and an exchange of experience between specialists and participants in the conference took place over a period of more than two hours. The exhibition was finished on June 8th, and dismantled over the following days. Almost all of the booklets were reserved for the next Czech Republic presentation at the World Exposition and for the needs of embassies.

Peter Mackovcin

The "Ecological system" exhibition implementation team is made up of: Jaromír Demek, Josef Glos, Peter Mackovcin, Václav Petrícek, Andrea Petrová, Jan Plesník, Jana Sedláková and Karel Sejna.

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