Who we are

The Rozmberk Society (legal Czech name: Společnost Rožmberk o.p.s.) is a registered, not-for-profit, non-governmental organization under Czech law. The Society is registered as a 'Public Benefit Corporation' (in Czech: obecne prospesna spolecnost or o.p.s.) according the National Council Act nr 248-1995. The legal status and obligations of an o.p.s. are similar but not identical to those of a foundation or charity. Internationally, the Society is comparable with, for example, UK charities, a Non-US equivalent of a US charity with 501 (c) (3) status (tax exempt, donations are tax-deductible), or a Dutch ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling).  

The mission of the Society is the conservation of natural and cultural heritage combined with a sustainable regional development. To help achieve our objectives, promoting sustainable economic development in rural areas, creating new jobs, involvement of the local inhabitants, and increasing public awareness are paramount in all our activities.

Our operating area mainly focusses on rural South Bohemia, Czech Republic, and in particular the eastern part comprising the Novehradska Foothills and the Trebon Biosphere Reserve.

 


The Board of the Society

Mgr. Jakub Cerny. President of the Society.
Mgr. Jakub Cerny has a Masters Degree in the Theory and Philosophy of Communication. He currently is working in top management of SAP CR. Jakub has a brown belt in Judo.

 

Dr. Katerina Bisova
RNDr Katerina Bisova, PhD, is a senior researcher and head of the Laboratory of Cell Cycles of Algae at the Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Trebon. She also has a black belt in Judo and is teaching judo to young chuildren in Trebon, occasionally with the help of Olga Cerna.

 

Ing Zdena Vochozkova
Ing Zdena Vochozkova is a former head of one of the postal departments in Ceske Budejovice and now works as top regional management with a large organization.

 

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is composed of Board Chair Mrs. Martina Kourková, entrepreneur-shop owner, Ing Magda Sergejevová, PhD, scientist, and Judr. Josef Vochozka, director Educa International o.p.s.

 


Founders, Statutory Authority, and Directors

Under the amendment of the law, as of January 1, 2011, the director now is also the statutory authority (legal representative) of the organization.

 

Drs. Robert Dulfer, a Dutch biologist, is co-founder and director/legal representative of the organization. He is currently living in the Czech Republic and has initiated several initiatives for nature conservation here, in particular the Trebon Biosphere Reserve Otter Project (1993-1998, funded by the Council of Europe, Secretariat Bern Convention). Since April 1998, he works as appointed, unpaid Director of the Rozmberk Society. In addition, he also occasionally is employed by the Society within the framework of specific projects or events.

As of November 1, 2020, he also is Grant Manager for the EU COST Action PLANTMETALS, hosted by the Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Ceske Budejovice

 

Olga Cerna is co-founder of the Society and vice director and the main person coordinating the historical research. From 1993 until 2004 she has been working with the Trebon Protected Landscape Area and Biosphere Reserve Administration, responsible for tourism and for compiling databases. From September 2012 to August 2016, she was project manager at the Institute of Complex Systems, University of South Bohemia at the research center in Nove Hrady. Today, she works project-based or as volunteer on historic researcher and as project manager for the Rozmberk Society.

 

Being born in the village of Kojakovice and having lived and worked always in this region, she has a good contact with locals. Working for the Trebon Biosphere Reserve Administration, often in cooperation with other local authorities, has given her insight in some of the changes and problems that occurred in this region in the years just before and after the Velvet Revolution. Having worked for 5 years in the State Archives in Trebon and conducting professional genealogical research for over 30 year has given her a good knowledge about the regional history.

 

Staff and payments

The Rozmberk Society has no permanent employees. The function of director/legal representative and vice-director of the Society are unpaid appointments. However, these individuals can be hired for ditional work, for example in the framework of projects or as project experts on entrepreneur licences. In such cases, the limits of the project or accepted service prices are used.

 

Other employees (mostly 2 – 7 persons) are hired within the framework of grants and projects; volunteers work on the basis of needs and availability.

 

The Society is an equal opportunity employee. When possible, the Society hires temporary employees from socially disadvantaged groups in coordination with and with support of the local and regional Labour Offices.

 

Payments and bonusses

The director and vice-director can submit costs for travel and representation as specified under the Czech law. The Board of Directors and of Trustees do not get payment for their activities. In general, the Society does not pay bonusses to staff or board.

 

Annual Reports

On the linked page, you can find our annual reports including the financial balans. More detailed information can be obtained on request.