LAG Moravian Karst
LAG Moravian Karst
Open partnership for development of The Moravian Karst- LEADER+
- Consultancy
- Development projects
- Guided tours in The Moravian Karst
- Unconventional adventures in The Moravian Karst
New challenges and new opportunities in The Moravian Karst
About the area
The area of LAG Moravian karst is situated in south part of “Drahanská vrchovina“ upland. It is bordered by cities of Brno, Blansko, Boskovice and Vyškov. More than 42,000 people live within the area of LAG. The area comprises 54 municipalities in total - 26 municipalities in micro region Moravian Karst, 11 municipalities in microregion Drahanská vrchovina upland, 5 municipalities in microregion Časnýř, 4 municipalities in microregion Černohorsko and 8 municipalities in microregion Protivanovsko.
The Moravian Karst together with its surroundings is a region with many natural features (Protected Landscape Area Moravian Karst, European important localities of Natura 2000 system, Ramsar Wetland “Hypogean Punkva”). Unique nature and countryside go hand in hand with many historic and cultural sights of various architectural styles.
The area of The Moravian Karst and its wider surrounding has a remarkable importance for knowledge of prehistorical development of our civilisation in Central European area. This area on the fringe of Central European lowland has been inhabited and used by a people for more than one hundred thousand years. The area was also a crib of development of iron industry and industry in general.
Features of the area
The area belongs to the most important karst areas in the Czech Republic, notable for its longest history of speleological, architectonical and paleontological karst research in Europe. The features of area are determined by proximity to the city of Brno with ist development potential (innovation, visitors etc.). The highlights include healthy and clean environment, high concentration of nature protected areas, museums and historic landmarks (castles, ruins of castles, sacred buildings, windmills, Celtic oppids, arboretums). Long distance cycle route from Krakow (PL) to Vienna (AT) passes over the whole area. There is also potential for development of agro tourism and hippo tourism and varios environmental education programmes.. Moreover, the accessibility of the region is very good, being situated close to big cities (Brno, Olomouc, Prostějov). There are opportunities for development of suburban short-term recreation or congress tourism, too.
The area has plenty ofundiscovered and non-promoted sites of natural, historical a cultural heritage – e.g. the biggest Celtic oppid in Moravia, Strevinta – unique, thoroughly researched Celtic settlement in Moravia, which is also on the map of Great Germania of Claudius Ptolemaius, or seventy bypast medieval settlements with links to the legend about the Pied Piper from Hameln. There is a romanesque church in Bořitov, too, with murals from the 12th century, technical monuments of once flourishing to iron processing, forgotten crafts and other natural, cultural, architectonic, technical, geological, paleontological and archeological sites of interest.s.
The Moravian Karst – development from within
Objectives and means of LAG
Main objective of LAG Moravian Karst is to use the potential, which The Moravian Karst offers in tourism for the development of the whole area (54 municipalitiesmunicipalities). Other objectives include:
1. Management of unique natural, cultural and historical heritage of The Moravian Karst, mainly through strengthening the identity in rural area and participation of local communities and entrepreneurs.
2. Business development based on local sources with emphasis on environmental friendliness and development of social businesses, initiation and development of new innovative businesses, development of productive activities and services for local people, creation of new jobs (with special focus on women and young people), exchange and sharing of experience, marketing, trade, linking of producers among themselves and producers with service providers. .
3. Creation and development of a new strong image of The Moravian Karst in tourism industry as a destination of special interest for active relaxation, sports, cognitive tourism and entertainment with use of cultural heritage and related offers in gastronomy, architecture and culture. Increase the number of visitors in the region.
4. Improvement in the structure of rural society, raising quality of life in The Moravian Karst, strengthening of cooperation, networking, integration, introducing new ways of cooperation.
LAG Moravian Karst aims to bolster local partnership through broad cooperation with partners from all sector inside and outside of the region.
Development plan and strategy “Opening of The Moravian Karst”
Strategy of The LAG Moravian Karst was formulated as a mid-term document for the period of 2007-2013, titled “Opening of The Moravian Karst”. Strategy originated within several community involvement projects carried out by partners . Key problems of the area are indetified and strategic objectives set, including development priorities and measures.
Priorities and measures of the strategy
1. Heritage
Measure 1.1. Care of natural heritage
Meas. 1.2. Care of the countryside
Meas. 1.3. Care of historical, architectonical and technical heritage
Meas. 1.4. Public participation in protection and care of regional heritage
2. Tourism
Meas. 2.1. Rural tourism
Meas. 2.2. Promotion of The Moravian Karst region
Meas. 2.3. Information and visitors centers
3. Economy
Meas. 3.1. Development of small and middle sized enterprises
Meas. 3.2. Diversification of agriculture production
Meas. 3.3. Production, sale and promotion of regional products
Meas. 3.4. Development of traditional crafts and small businesses
4. Environment
Meas. 4.1. Development of traditional crafts and small business
Meas. 4.2. Use of alternative sources of energy
Meas. 4.3. Prevention of environmental pollution
Meas. 4.4. Technical infrastructure
Meas. 4.5. Education, information, training and public participation in the environmental issues
5. People
Meas. 5.1. Sport, culture and voluntary associations
Meas. 5.2. Inclusion of socialy disadvantaged people in the life in the region
6. Partnership
Meas. 6.1. Realization of the strategy according to the principles of local partnership
Meas. 6.2. Development of local partnership and capacity building
Meas. 6.3. Exchange of experience, regional and international cooperation
Meas. 6.4. Project cooperation
Vision 2013
The Moravian Karst is a rural area, where businesses create new jobs and opportunities for local people and do not damage natural, cultural and historical heritage. Farmers participate on management of landscape. High-quality infrastructure creates opportunities for all activities. Unique natural, cultural and historical heritage is creatively used in line with the concept of sustainable development. Renewable sources of energy are in operation in the region. Cultural and historical identity and traditions are recovered with support of local people.
History and structure of the partnership
LAG Moravian Karst was established in April 2006 after non-formal communication between public and private subjects. LAG developed from an impulse of a group of entrepreneurs (ZEMSPOL company Sloup, Eva and Jan Sedlákovi, Eva and Jiří Zigalovi, Agris Jedovnice Ltd.., Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno - Training forest enterprise Masaryk forest Křtiny) a non-profit organizations (Czech association of conservationists “Ponikva”, Association “Sdružení Renesance krajiny”, civic association “Veselická kaplička”, Czech Spelological Association, civic association “Horní mlýn”)
From the beginning, the private sector was more active, mainly farmers. That is why there are more members from private sector represented in in LAG and in its statutory bodies Main and operative body of the LAG is a Steering Committee, which has 11 members.
LAG had 38 members towards the end of June 2008, of which 10 subjects represented public sector (association of municipalities, schools etc.) and 27 subjects represented private sector (and 10 of them being NGOs). The activities of LAG were presented to municipal councils of all member municipalities at the end of 2007, in order to obtain their consent with LAG activities within their communities. This way the interest in the LAG activities was revived. Public sector is represented by five associations of municipalities amd by educational institutions (Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno, Training forest enterprise Masaryk forest Křtiny and basic schools), as well.
LAG is a civic association open to all people who live or undertake a business in this area. Its member can be anyone who agrees with objectives of association and pays annual membership fee.
LAG networks and partners
LAG Moravian Karst is the biggest local action group in The South Moravian Region, based on spatial spread and number of inhabitants. LAG Moravian Karst is member of National Network of LAGs. There is a partnership of three Moravian LAGs called “Moravian Gate to Europe” – together with LAG of the region “Poodří” and LAG Moravian way. Abroad the LAG MK cooperateswith “LGD Dolina Baryczy” in Poland and with microregion “Dunajská magistrála” in Slovakia.
LEADER CR 2007 in The Moravian Karst
LAG The Moravian Karst succeeds with its aim in program of Ministry of agriculture LEADER CR 2007. Within the theme “Reinforcement of local economic environment and evaluation of local production” they open a call for projects in 3 priorities, which connect to priorities of the strategy “We are opening The Moravian Karst”.
Priority: Business development
Priority: Development of local products and services
Priority: Development of tourist trade
Branding of local products
Local product branding scheme ”The Moravian Karst – regional product®” started up in 2007. This brand means that products passet through strict certification process, which guarantees their origin in the wider Moravian Karst. Local origin is not the only condition for a product to be branded. Branded products have to contribute to the good name of the region and be of a high quality, environmentaly friendly, unique in relation to The Moravian Karst – i.e. made by traditional technology, handmade or made from local materials, unique by its high quality. Brand is granted by The LAG Moravian Karst to craft products, agricultural and natural products. Aim of the branding is to promote the region of The Moravian Karst and to help local producers. LAG Moravian Karst cooperates with producers and salespersons of certified products in promotion and marketing. They create a network of regional shops, organize common presentations on fairs and exhibitions, support and help to create excursion sites on farms and in production facilities. These places are also new tourist attractions and “packages” for visitors of The Moravian Karst.
Renewable energy sources
LAG Moravian K provides consultancy and educational training in renewable energy sources for people in the region. LAG is a partner in the project “From Estonia till Croatia: Intelligent energy saving measures for municipal housing in Central and Eastern European Countries”.
Tourism as a common chance
To visit underground of The Moravian Karst has been a tradition for several centuries. First documents about such visit are dated from the16th century. Favoured were the caves “Sloupské jeskyně”, “Býčí skála” and Výpustek. People were seeking for the „fossilized bones of dragons“, believing in their remedial effects.
The first written remark about the caves of The Moravian Karst was from Oswald Croll in 1608. Local people knew caves very well and they quickly found out that caves could be economically profitable. They had mined stalactite and cave-bear´s teeth, which they then sold to rich pilgrims.
Also today the tourism represents one of the main development potential of The Moravian Karst. The aspiraton of The LAG Moravian Karts is to broaden the perception of The Moravian Karst as not only a place with unique caves but also a place with wide offer of activities and interesting places, where visitors can choose, never get bored and will leave saturated with experiences.
The LAG MK can give advise visitors of The Moravian Karst on:
- Programs for individuals and groups
- Guided trips
- Unconventional adventures
Contact us:
Address: LAG The Moravian Karst /MAS Moravský kras, Sloup 221, 679 13 Sloup, Czech Republic
E-mail: masmk@seznam.cz,
Website: www.spolekmoravskykras.cz
Chairman: Miloslav Novotný (mayor of Vavřinec municipality)
Tel. +420 516 435 414,
E-mail: starosta@vavrinec.cz
Vice-chairman: Ing. Alois Kunc (mayor of Kotvrdovice municipality)
Tel.: +420 724 187 402
E-mail: aloiskunc@centrum.cz
Manager of LAG: Ing. Jozef Jančo
Tel.+420 739 042 933
E-mail: jozef.janco@seznam.cz
