ABSTRACT
There are six biosphere reserves (BRs) in the Czech Republic. The institutional models used to implement the BR concept in local conditions have varied over time, reflecting the general evolution of development of the concept. The first BRs, designated in the 1970s, were operated as a part of organizational structure of the administration of a protected area. The model based on cooperation of the administration with NGOs was applied in the 1990s; the most recent BR, designated in 2003, has the form of a public benefit organization, detached from the state administration. The three models represent three different arenas which induce different spaces for BR managers to manoeuvre when seeking to fulfil the requirements of BRs as defined in the Statutory Framework and the Lima Action Plan. For the Czech MAB Committee, some institutional models are preferred to others.
