Tradition of the White Carpathians

The study focuses on network of famers and environmentalsits representing a grass-root initiative (established already informally in early 1990s) which was latter influences by LEADER principles but never become the LAG. The most influential part of the new form of governance (taking into account historical background rooted in organized and centralized communist system) has been the network of local farmers and other actors having strong local ties with the environmentalists whose were organized in national scale and had established international ties. Through the network which was later transformed into various forms of formal organizations, the local actors were able to influence the development of the territory. The success of the development activities rests in the new forms of government which are able to use flexible networks generating retro-innovations combined with innovative forms of development. The initiative is seen as an experimental way of rural governance attractive in some way to young people since they are working with this initiative (however not as the farmers but rather as the environmentalists).      

Image shows a low energy consumption community house in Hostětín (headquarter of the Czech initiative) – the first low energy community house in Czechia (used for summer schools, accommodation, offering local food (if possible organic), educational  and municipality cultural events (Photo courtesy of Michal Lostak)