The latest in our popular networking breakfasts was held in the early days of March at myhive Flexi Offices in Pankrác and West Flexi Offices at Stodůlky. This time, culinary delights were accompanied by a presentation of the activities of the Refugium environmental company.
Refugium has been part of the Svoboda & Williams family for several years now. The company’s long-term goal is to protect and promote biodiversity in the Czech countryside. It currently manages 200 hectares of valuable natural land in 11 locations across the country, restoring them to their natural state through carefully planned interventions.
“English has a perfect word for what we’re doing—rewilding. Our work is to accelerate natural processes that would occur naturally in the landscape if it were protected from negative human influences,” says Prokop Svoboda, founder of Refugium.
Refugium’s project manager Eliška Kolomazníková spoke about past and future projects with the tenants of Offices Unlimited’s shared offices, from a successful pilot project involving the restoration of valuable wetland areas in Maříž near Slavonice, which won an award in the Adapterra Awards competition organized by the Partnership Foundation, to plans for a bison reserve in a former military training ground near the Doupov Mountains.
According to Kolomazníková, Refugium, as a joint-stock company, strives to create functional tools for systemic change in nature conservation outside the state apparatus or the nonprofit sector. “We offer our business partners the opportunity to purchase bonds, thereby supporting a specific project to revitalize a natural site from our portfolio. This investment instrument can also be reported in the company’s accounts on a long-term basis,” she explains. Companies can thus green their investment portfolios and bring them in line with ESG principles.