How can Czech forests be prepared for a changing climate, and how can their resilience be strengthened? These are the questions explored in the new documentary film Roots of Tomorrow, which premiered on 3 November at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU). Using the forests of the Brdy region as an example, the film introduces the principles of close-to-nature forest management and explores how they can be applied in forestry practice.
The documentary was produced as part of the international LIFE Adapt Brdy project, which focuses on adapting forest ecosystems to climate change. It demonstrates how close-to-nature forest management practices can contribute to the long-term stability of forest stands.
“Although the film focuses on the situation in the Brdy region, we are facing similar challenges throughout the Czech Republic,” points out David Novotný, Production Director of Military Forests and Estates of the Czech Republic (VLS ČR), a state enterprise responsible for managing forests in the Brdy region. “Every day, we see first-hand how difficult it is to respond to a changing climate. We therefore do not see this documentary as a universal guide, but rather as a contribution to the discussion and an illustration of the path we are trying to follow with respect for nature.”
The premiere was attended by representatives of institutions involved in forestry and nature conservation, including Military Forests and Estates of the Czech Republic, Forests of the Czech Republic, the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic, and the Ministry of the Environment.
“Adapting forests to climate change is one of the key challenges of our time, and it cannot be addressed without close cooperation between science, forestry practice and education. I am pleased that we are succeeding in creating opportunities for joint discussion and involving our students in these conversations. This allows them to gain a broader perspective on the issues during their studies and learn to seek solutions together. After all, the decisions we make today will determine what our forests look like in the future. It is precisely in these decisions that the roots of their tomorrow lie,” explains Professor Róbert Marušák, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences at CZU.
The programme also included expert lectures on close-to-nature forest management and water retention in the landscape, attended by students from the faculty's Forestry programme and other fields of study.
“From the very beginning, we wanted Roots of Tomorrow to be more than just another project deliverable. Our aim was to make a film that would engage audiences beyond the forestry sector and help them understand why it is important to change the way we care for our forests. We placed great emphasis not only on the scientific content but also on the film's visual presentation. We wanted to showcase the beauty of the Brdy forests while encouraging viewers to think about why it matters what our forests will look like in the future,” says Hana Brinkeová, Ph.D., PR Project Manager of the LIFE Adapt Brdy project.
The documentary Roots of Tomorrow brings the issue of forest adaptation to climate change closer to the general public and demonstrates why decisions about forest management shape the condition and character of forests for decades to come.
The project Adaptation of Forests to Climate Change in the Brdy Highlands (101074426 – LIFE21-CCA-CZ-LIFE Adapt Brdy) focuses on forest adaptation through close-to-nature forest management. It is funded by the European Union and the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic.
The views and opinions expressed by the authors of the documentary do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the Ministry of the Environment or the granting authority. Neither the European Union, the Ministry of the Environment nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
For more information about the project, visit adaptbrdy.czu.cz.
