Obszary Natura 2000 – szansa czy zagrożenie dla rozwoju turystyki w gminach sudeckich?

Background. Natura 2000 is a conservation network developed in all EU member countries. It is designated to support the long-term survival of most valuable and threatened species and habitats. Almost half of the Sudetes area, where tourism is one of the significant functions, is included in that network. The main aim of the paper was to evaluate the role of Natura 2000 sites for the socioeconomic development of the Sudetes municipalities, especially for tourism development. Material and methods. The research materials were the main planning and strategic documents for the local development (117 documents in total). The research was conducted in 44 Sudetes municipalities. The authors took into account the attitudes towards Natura 2000 areas and the comprehensiveness of the approach to the problem. Results and conclusions. The local authorities find Natura 2000 sites an important opportunity for local development. However, their role is not usually precisely explained. Neutral attitude dominates in the analysed documents. Generally, Natura 2000 sites are not perceived as a threat for tourism development in the analysed municipalities.