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Heritage sites face threat of tramping

Museum officials worry that ancient artifacts will be lost

By Ondřej Bouda
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
April 30th, 2008 issue

The protected landscape area of Kokořínsko in central Bohemia is one of the major archeological sites in Central Europe. It contains settlements from historical periods starting with the Upper Paleolithic. The sandstone caves for which the area is famous have provided shelter for Stone Age man, Roman soldiers and medieval bandits.
More recently, a new group has started to inhabit the caves. Trampers have set up campsites to which they return each summer, digging fire pits for cooking as did previous inhabitants and making various other alterations.
But not everyone is happy with their activities.
Archeologists at the Homeland Studies museum in Česká Lípa sent a letter April 21 to the Czech Environmental Inspection Agency about the damage done to archeological sites by trampers, complaining that the area’s heritage is being wantonly destroyed by campsites.
“This area is well known for the irreparable destruction and the failure to preserve nature and archeological sites,” said the complaint, stating that the issue has been known both domestically and internationally.
The tramping movement is a romantic hiking subculture established in the 1920s. Its activities have historically drawn complaints, and the current issue is no exception.
Museum scientists have found more than 100 illegal campsites in the protected area, which covers approximately 272 square kilometers.
“At least half of the caves with campsites are badly damaged,” the letter stated.
The list of damaged sites is not yet complete, as mapping of the area has not been finished. Archeologists fear that many areas as yet unexcavated could disappear before they have a chance to get to them.
The museum has complained to the Protected Landscape Area Authority in the past about the destruction of historical sites but says no action has been taken. “Given the reactions to the Kokořínsko protected landscape area, we feel that the problem is being ignored,” the letter read.
The Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection Agency, has said that the issue is complex and might take several years to resolve. “A one-time closure of illegal campsites would be ineffective as new ones would quickly spring up,” said Ivana Awwad, spokeswoman for the agency. Inspectors are currently dealing with several institutions to find a solution.
“One possibility is to establish official campsites where trampers could come without damaging historical landmarks,” she added.
Trampers, however, deny any wrongdoing. They say that, without them, the area would have been destroyed by tourists long ago.
“We feel at home there and take care of the place accordingly,” said one known as Bazi. “We try to help the woods and clean up after tourists who leave their trash all over the place.” Trampers have been in the area since the 1960s, and wonder why the museum is only bringing up the problem now.
“They’re trying to get rid of us,” said another tramper known as Neklan. “The old regime prosecuted us because they could not control us, and the same people in their new positions are still trying to finish the job even though we live in a free society.” Neklan rejects the creation of official campsites and says tramping will survive despite attempts to limit the movement.

Ondřej Bouda can be reached at obouda@praguepost.com


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