National parks and Natura 2000 sites in Polish Carpathians vs local people: changing attitudes within the past 10 years
Agata Warchalska-Troll, Jagiellonian University, Krakow (PL)
National parks and Natura 2000 sites are very different types of PA's, however, with their very formalized status within the Polish law, they often attract conflicts with local communities. Based on several in-depth case studies (interviews, queries of official documents as well as press) I am going to compare and contrast parks and Natura 2000 sites' ‘conflicting potential' in the very specific context of mountains. In these vulnerable areas, factors starting from topography, through land use and land ownership, and finally culture and personalities of local leaders, are much more visible.