Wilderness is our chance

Pavel Hubený, the Director of the Šumava National Park Administration, has been professionally involved in nature conservation since the late 1980s. He took the hot seat of director in 2014, the tenth person to do so, and has already held the position longer than any of his predecessors. In a comprehensive interview with editor and environmentalist Radek Štěpánek, he shares his perspective on the past, present, and future of nature conservation, not just in our largest national park, but across the entire Czech Republic. He reveals himself not only as a proponent of wildness and a person deeply connected to the natural environment, but also as an expert on local conditions. From an insider's position, he also comments on controversial and closely watched topics such as the return of wolves to our countryside, the efforts to establish the Křivoklátsko National Park, development plans in the Lipno region, and the drying out of the Czech landscape.