<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>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.</p></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.

South-Moravian Rural Borderland

Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic

Department of Environmental Geography, Institute of Geonics, Czech Academy of Sciences Ostrava, Studentská 1768, 708 00 Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic

Department of Environmental Geography, Institute of Geonics, Czech Academy of Sciences Ostrava, Drobného 28, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic

European Countryside

{"article-title":"South-Moravian Rural Borderland"}

The South Moravian rural borderland has been studied as an example of peripheral countryside. It is defined by municipalities the cadastral districts of which...

South-Moravian Rural Borderland

Published Online: Jul 02, 2013

Page range: 115 - 132

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2013-0008

Keywords
borderland, landscape, rural settlement, economy, strategy, Moravia

This content is open access.

South-Moravian Rural Borderland

Published Online: Jul 02, 2013

Page range: 115 - 132

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2013-0008

Keywordsborderland, landscape, rural settlement, economy, strategy, Moravia

This content is open access.

Keywords
borderland, landscape, rural settlement, economy, strategy, Moravia