Project objectives

The aim of the project is to connect the National Park Administrations, universities, and the public on both sides of the border (in the Czech and German parts of the national park) and to use modern methods together with mutual information exchange for cross-border forest monitoring and for raising awareness of the forests of the national parks to support their protection.

• The first objective of the project is to analyse forest development in the cross-border area of both national parks using data and methods of remote sensing. In the wider area, long-term changes in forest ecosystems (since the 1950s) will be assessed using satellite data and historical aerial photographs. In selected cross-border model areas, current development will be evaluated at high spatial and temporal resolution using UAV data and field data (pre- and post-fire states, bark beetle infestation, succession). Map outputs showing forest changes and virtual forest walks will be created. The main output of this part of the project will be the proposal of a unified cross-border methodology for forest monitoring using remote sensing.
• The second objective of the project is to design and create a cross-border open-access information system about the forests of the national parks, consisting of (1) a public section with information on the historical development and current state of the forests, and (2) a data-sharing portal for the National Park Administrations enabling joint monitoring.

The project supports regional cooperation between national parks, universities, municipalities, schools, and community organisations. Data harmonisation, unified monitoring procedures, and sharing of results through a cross-border portal will facilitate the coordination of nature conservation, enable more effective decision-making, and strengthen transparency.

The project outcomes will support experts in standardised cross-border forest monitoring and help increase public awareness, strengthen the relationship of residents and visitors to forests and the region, and enhance understanding of the need for forest protection and sustainable forest development. The project contributes not only to the protection of the valuable ecosystems of Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland but also to the long-term sustainable development of the entire region.