Antonín Vaishar

Small towns as centres of rural micro-regions

Small towns as centres of rural micro-regions Small towns ensure services on the basic urban level, jobs, social contacts, occasions to travel outside the micro-region, services of the state administration and sometimes also an identity of the micro-region. Mass commuting from villages to small towns is usual for Czechia for a long time. Small towns in peripheral regions are of our interest. Character of these towns is given by the remoteness and bad accessibility from regional centers, by the lack of investments, problems of human capital etc. Nevertheless, the peripheral small towns remain the definite centers of their hinterlands because of the lack of competition in majority of cases. The second demographic transition leads to ageing of rural population. Sub-urbanization and counter-urbanization impacts on the population shift from big and medium cities to the countryside. In the process of globalization, the countryside including small towns plays a role of bearer of the traditional way of life. Transferring the jobs from productive to non-productive branches endangers the countryside by losing jobs in industry. Increasing value of leisure, environment, space, security etc. offers new chances for small towns. Malá města zajišťují služby na základní městské úrovni, pracovní příležitosti, sociální kontakty, příležitosti cestovat mimo mikroregion, služby státní správy a někdy identitu mikroregionu. Masová vyjížďka s venkova do malých měst je v Česku typická po dlouhé období. Předmětem našeho zájmu jsou malá města v periferních regionech. Charakter těchto měst je dán vzdáleností a špatnou dostupností regionálních center, nedostatkem investic, problémy humánního kapitálu atd. Nicméně malá města v periferních regionech zůstávají nezpochybnitelnými středisky svého zázemí kvůli nedostatku konkurence. Suburbanizace a kontraurbanizace způsobily přesun obyvatel z velkých a středních měst na venkov. V procesu globalizace hraje venkov včetně malých měst úlohu nositele tradičního způsobu života. Přesun pracovních příležitostí z výrobních odvětví do služeb ohrožuje venkov ztrátou míst v průmyslu. Zvyšující se hodnota volného času, životního prostředí, prostoru, bezpečnosti otevírá pro malá města nové příležitosti.

Current problems in the South-Moravian rural landscape

Current problems in the South-Moravian rural landscape Permanent development trends of the South-Moravian landscape are discussed. Four groups of impacts are observed: changes of agricultural using of the landscape, changes from the agricultural to other ways of utilization, stressing the landscape protection and influences of tourism. The changes in agricultural production occur in the less productive areas in the northern part of the region. Big changes were evoked by residential, commercial and industrial suburbanization in the hinterlands of Brno. About 1,300 rural brownfields can be found in the region. Wind power-plants form a new element in the landscape. The landscape protection has increased within EU. South Moravian landscape itself is the main offer for the tourism. V příspěvku jsou diskutovány současné trendy vývoje venkovské krajiny jižní Moravy. Jsou vyčleněny čtyři druhy změn: změny zemědělského využití krajiny, změny od zemědělského k jinému využití, důraz na ochranu krajiny a vlivy cestovního ruchu. Změny v zemědělském využití jsou pozorovány v méně produktivních oblastech severní části kraje. Velké změny byly vyvolány rezidenční, komerční a průmyslovou suburbanizací v zázemí Brna. V regionu je na 1 300 rurálních brownfields. Nový prvek v krajině vytvářejí větrné elektrárny. Ochrana krajiny se pod vlivem EU zvyšuje. Jihomoravská krajina je hlavní turistickou nabídkou regionu sama o sobě.

South-Moravian Rural Borderland

Abstract The South Moravian rural borderland has been studied as an example of peripheral countryside. It is defined by municipalities the cadastral districts of which border on the state frontiers. The borderland is considerably differentiated in dependence on the natural conditions, historic development, geographical position and subjective circumstances. The period after 1990 experienced a downturn in production sectors, development of the tertiary sector, quite positive demographic evolution with a positive migration balance (with some exceptions), further intensification of nature conservation and landscape protection, increased unemployment rate and lower standard of formal education. The strengths encompass the maintained and, in many cases, strictly protected landscape, suitable settlement structures with large villages, suitable conditions for agricultural activities, development of balneology and important transition position of the central part of the borderland. The weaknesses include, in particular, the distinctly seasonal character of tourism (short summer period), below-average education, poor condition of many local roads and exposedness of the territory to erosion. Opportunities include possibilities of international cooperation, support of non-production agriculture, demand for relevant forms of tourism, support of small and medium sized businesses. Threats are understood as the outflow of young and educated people, devastation of the environment through intensive farming and reduced economic competitive advantages. Strategies may consist in the preference of economic development or in focusing on the improvement of local inhabitants’ life quality. Souhrn Jihomoravské pohraničí bylo studováno jako příklad periferního venkova. Je definováno souborem obcí, jejichž katastrální území se dotýkají státní hranice. Pohraničí je významně diferencováno v závislosti na přírodních podmínkách, historickém vývoji a subjektivních okolnostech. Období po roce 1990 lze charakterizovat propadem výrobního sektoru, rozvojem služeb, pozitivním migračním saldem (s několika výjimkami), zvýšeným důrazem na ochranu přírody a krajiny, stoupající nezaměstnaností a nízkým standardem formálního vzdělání. Silné stránky spočívají v udržované a v řadě případů přísně chráněné krajině, vhodné sídelní struktuře s relativně velkými obcemi, vhodných podmínkách pro zemědělské aktivity, rozvoji balneologie a významnou tranzitní polohou centrální části pohraničí. Slabé stránky zahrnují zejména výrazně sezónní charakter cestovního ruchu (pouze krátká letní perioda), podprůměrné vzdělání obyvatel, špatný stav místních komunikací, vystavení území erozi. Příležitostmi jsou možnosti přeshraniční spolupráce, podpora mimoprodukčního zemědělství, poptávka po odpovídajících formách cestovního ruchu, podpora malého a středního podnikání. Ohrožení je chápáno jako nebezpečí dalšího odchodu mladých a vzdělaných lidí, možná devastace životního prostředí intenzivním zemědělstvím a nižší ekonomická konkurenceschopnost. Strategie mohou spočívat v preferování ekonomického rozvoje nebo v zaměření na kvalitu života místní populace.

Quality of Rural Life. Editorial 16 June 2018

Abstract The paper discusses the concept of the quality of life and its measuring. It tries to explain its peculiarities in the rural space considering different levels of education, professional activities, mobility, ways of dwelling, access to the social and technical infrastructure. The subjective perception of both urban and rural people to the rural quality of life can be manifested in moving in and moving out. The main shortages of the rural quality of life can be seen (by rural people) in a poor access to the prestigious and well-paid jobs and to a richer social life. The main advantages of the rural way of life are generally evaluated (by urban people) by better access to the nature. A promotion of the local identity is considered as an important tool for improving the rural quality of life (besides of a solution of infrastructural problems), considering the enormous difference among European rural areas of a big differentiation of the European countryside. The last part of the paper summarizes the contributions of the special number.

Differentiation and Typology of the Moravian Countryside

Abstract The authors argue that differentiation of various types of countryside is more important than to look for the definition of the rural against the urban. The paper is aimed at a typology of the Moravian countryside. Based on multifunctional (both hard and soft) data, Moravian micro-regions were divided into four categories – progressive, deficit and suburban countryside and predominantly urban micro-regions. Each of the categories has its own characteristics, threats, and needs. The authors stress that the approach of regional politics and both European and national subsidies have to take into account different categories of rural micro-regions. However, particular decisions have to be made in the intersection of the lowest regional level and the bottom-up approach expressed by community lead local development.

OUTMIGRATION INTENTIONS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM A RURAL MICRO-REGION IN THE CZECH INNER PERIPHERY: A CASE STUDY OF THE BYSTŘICE NAD PERNŠTEJNEM AREA IN THE VYSOČINA REGION

This paper analyzes push and pull factors of eventual secondary school student´s outmigration from the micro-region of Bystřice nad Pernstejnem in the Czech inner periphery in the light of presupposed depopulation trends and manifestations of peripherality and marginality. The outmigration affects primarily the micro-regions centre while small rural settlements as a whole exhibit a population growth. The lack of prestigious and well-paid jobs and limited cultural activities, entertainment, and sports appear to be the main push migration factors. Possible solutions to this situation are limited and should include efforts to strengthen the relationship of the local population to the territory, to maintain the good quality of the environment, and to enhance the feeling of personal safety. It is argued that similar motivations can be expected in the majority of Czech peripheral micro-regions.

Present consequences of the post-war migration in the Czech borderland for regional development

Abstract Czechia lost more than 3,000,000 inhabitants as a result of the WW II. Germans displaced from the borderland formed the largest part. The newcomers after 1945 were of a different character – without any relation to their new settlements. This population formed a special social milieu familiar with the socialist way of thinking and that of a suppressed middle class. The consequences of it are seen in demographic, economic, environmental and social areas. After 1989, the factories in the borderland were mostly closed down, armies left the territory, people were not prepared to start their own businesses. Large-scale landscape protection formed a new barrier. Tourism is not able to substitute for the decrease in employment. The hope in cross-border collaboration has been overestimated.

Between Urban and Rural: Sustainability of Small Towns in the Czech Republic

Abstract The paper analyses the position of small towns in the Czech settlement system. It deals with the definition of small towns, their geographical positions, demographic characteristics and functions in the national settlement system. A typology of small towns aimed at individual pillars of their sustainability is one of the results of the paper. The article discusses the position of small towns as part of the urban world and their position as a part of the countryside. It concludes that small towns are functionally important as rural centres. However, differences between urban and rural seem to be less important than differences among individual types of the Czech countryside (suburban, intermediate, inner periphery, borderland).

Bojkovice: Transformation of a peripheral micro-region at the Czech-Slovak border

Abstract The paper analyses the problem of a rural region in the peripheral position. Bojkovice micro-region on the Czech (Moravian)-Slovak border has been chosen as a case study. Economic transformation of productive and non-productive branches, demographic development (depopulation and aging) and networking in the area were characterized by using statistical data and field research. Development, understood as improvement in quality of life and not in sense of quantitative growth, is highlighted with regard to the changing perception of the countryside. The question remains: how to use peripherality for prosperity? Peripheral countryside is known as “the right countryside” in comparison to suburbanized and globalized countryside in core regions. Based on the research, production embedded in local sources and traditions, ecological agriculture using the protection of landscape and soft tourism are proposed as solutions. Networking like the association of municipalities, LEADER local action group or White Carpathian Euroregion could be the instruments of micro-regional collaboration. The human and social factors seem to be more important than objective conditions. Long-term population stability is the main advantage. However, a lower level of formal education could be a problem. The character of social capital is considered as a decisive circumstance - whether it is passive social capital resistant to outer innovations or active social capital open for now ideas.

European rural regions in the era of globalization: the South Moravia case study

Rural regions are perceived mostly on a local, regional or national scale, but globalization impacts also on the countryside. Both production and consumption in rural regions are similar throughout Europe, being directed from the very limited number of global centers. Local authorities do not always react appropriately. Present trends in rural businesses, migration of rural population, sustainable rural development and capacity-building are investigated in 10 European case study regions within the DERREG project of 7th EU framework program. Preliminary findings for the South Moravia case study are presented in the paper.