General Information

Europe is a continent of long cultural history, where land use, hunting and fishing have become embedded in traditional practises. It once harboured a large diversity of wild species in its terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. But ever since traditional practises have been replaced by industrialized agriculture and fisheries, this biodiversity has been strongly declining. However, some lessons have been learnt and some hotspots remain. New policies and education tools have been designed to improve the coexistence of people and biodiversity. Many countries could benefit from these programmes and avoid mistakes made by others. As pressures on natural resources continue to increase worldwide, the European experience could be seen as a case study for the global nature conservation community.

By studying the needs of biodiversity, deepening our dialogue with stakeholders and all citizens, and looking beyond the countdown 2010, the 2nd European Congress of Conservation Biology “Conservation biology and beyond – from science to practice” welcomes biologists, practitioners, consultants, policy makers, social scientists, teachers and students to discuss, design and disseminate new guidelines, tools and strategies in an attempt to win the race to significantly reduce the loss of biodiversity.

Language

The official language of the Congress will be English. No translation facilities will be available.

Czech Republic

The country is a democratic republic and is a member of European Union.

Facts for the Traveler

The Czech Republic shares the principles of the migration and visa policies of the European Union and is currently finalizing its legal matters to match European Union law.

EU Nationals and citizens of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein (which are members of the European economical area) traveling to the Czech Republic may use a passport, diplomatic passport or any government-issued ID. Nationals of Japan, USA, and New Zealand can visit the Czech Republic for up to 90 days without a visa. Nationals of Australia, South Africa and many other countries must obtain a visa, which is good for a stay of between 30 and 90 days depending on your nationality. Citizens of states who must provide a visa to enter the Czech Republic include Ukraine, Morocco, Singapore and Brazil.
The official list of states and types of visa contacts is available on the web pages of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Bank and currency exchange:

The currency is the Czech crown (Kc / CZK). Banknotes are in denominations of CZK 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000. Coins are in denominations of CZK 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50.

Rate of exchange:
  • 1 EUR = approx. 25,2 CZK
  • 1 USD = approx. 16 CZK
  • 1 GBP = approx. 31,7 CZK
Transport in the Czech Republic

The Czech University of Life Sciences is located on the north-western border of Prague, close to the Prague airport and with a very good access to the Prague city centre. The Prague Airport is located approximately 10 km away from the city centre and 5 km from University Campus. Prague has an international connection with all the main cities of Europe and other continents.

Czech Railways provides clean, efficient train service to almost every part of the country. Travel is cheap compared to Western standards.

Long-distance coach connections tend to be faster, more frequent and marginally cheaper than train connections, and remoter locations require fewer transfers.

City transport in Prague

Metro
Prague's metro is one of the most beautiful and most efficient in the world. The Prague Metro network consists of 3 lines designated by letters and differentiated in color. Metro operates daily from 05:00 to 00:00. The time interval between train departures is approximately 2 to 3 minutes during the workday rush hours and 4 to 10 minutes during off-peak hours.
Trams
Daytime operation is from 04:30 to 24:00. Nighttime operation is from 00:30 to 4:30 and is provided by tram numbers 51 to 58 with traffic intervals 30 minutes.
Buses
The daytime and nighttime operation of buses is similar to tram operation. Nighttime service is provided by bus numbers 501 to 514.