Saxony: Bohemian Switzerland National Park gets new director

Prague / Krasna Lipa (dpa / sn) - The Czech National Park Bohemian Switzerland, which borders directly on Saxon Switzerland, is getting a new manager.

Saxony: Bohemian Switzerland National Park gets new director

Prague / Krasna Lipa (dpa / sn) - The Czech National Park Bohemian Switzerland, which borders directly on Saxon Switzerland, is getting a new manager. Petr Kriz will in future be at the forefront of the protected area with its unique sandstone formations, the Ministry of the Environment in Prague announced on Tuesday, according to the CTK agency.

He succeeds Pavel Benda, who was dismissed in September after allegations of poor crisis management and poor communication with the communities. At the end of July, a forest fire of enormous proportions broke out in Bohemian Switzerland. More than 1,000 hectares of forest were destroyed by the flames in just under three weeks.

Until now, Kriz has managed the protected landscape area of ​​the Czech Central Mountains. A concept for the renewal of the park should now be expected from him. In the border town of Hrensko, it is hoped that boat trips in Edmundsklamm, popular with tourists, can resume at the start of the spring season. The gorge is currently being surveyed by geologists for damage from the fire.

With around 79 square kilometers, Bohemian Switzerland is the smallest national park in the Czech Republic. The area has been under protection since 2000.