The Šumava National Park is an area that, virtually until modern times, stood outside the urban landscape, consisting of impenetrable alpine forests and intersected only by trade routes with deforested enclaves of border guard points and isolated mining centres.
The overall landscape pattern was formed solely by natural processes.
As soon as humans began to gradually populate the landscape, its face slowly changed through the interaction of natural processes and human activities.
The development of settlements and land use gradually reshaped the Šumava landscape.
Land use therefore has a profound effect on its character.
Wildlife maintenance, or game-keeping?
The term wildlife maintenance is more suitable when describing the complex of measures applied in national parks, governed by the Game Management Act in the Czech Republic. This law, however, is rather a tool of game keeping, one which is not fitting for national parks. Therefore, the terms wildlife maintenance or wildlife management are used in national parks in connection with wild animals which are game at the same time.
Hunting is important, and so is protection of nests
Hunting is also a method to limit or eliminate the influence of allochthonous (undesirable non-native) species mentioned above. Hunting in the Šumava National Park is not a commercial activity, but primarily a work task of designated employees of the NP Šumava Administration. Specific measures also include protection of nests of certain species against disturbance during the sensitive nesting season.
Fishing
The goal of fishery management in the NP is attaining the natural species and age composition of fish associations. A sufficient amount of quality water in all parts of the Šumava rivers is a key condition for life and natural reproduction of fish, but this is not always possible to ensure. Monitoring of fish, their species and age composition in the individual water bodies and their parts serves as a basis for choosing further steps towards leaving all water courses in the Šumava NP without human intervention.
