RESEARCH TOPIC
From forest ecosystems to a trusted food chain
Why does availability in the forest not guarantee access at the table? We examine consumers, processing and market barriers.
Explore the stories ↓
STORIES IN THIS TOPIC
Game meat and forest balance
In a Czech survey, 43.2% of women and 26.3% of men thought game meat should cost more than other meat. A study by Martin Němec and colleagues revealed a difference in price expectations alongside a shared view: most respondents in both groups thought it should cost the same.
Game meat and forest balance
A fence beside a forest track has a financial story. The Green Report for 2024 records CZK 244 million in support for 3,486 kilometres of protective fencing. Looking through the wire connects wildlife, young trees and forest regeneration.
Game meat and forest balance
Agreement that game meat is environmentally friendly fell from 75.3% to 67.9%, while definite agreement rose slightly. Two Czech surveys show why the distribution of responses matters when assessing consumer attitudes.
Game meat and forest balance
Game meat’s festive character was cited as a reason for limited consumption by 67.6% of respondents, compared with 30.3% citing price. A 2022 Czech survey also records low repeated consumption and a prominent role for personal contacts in obtaining it.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Forests
Riedl, M., Němec, M., Jarský, V., & Sloup, R. (2026). Supply, Trade and Consumption of Major Forest Foods in Czechia: Mushrooms, Forest Fruits and Game Meat. Forests, 17(7), 802. https://doi.org/10.3390/f17070802
DOI 10.3390/f17070802Foods
Němec, M., Riedl, M., Šálka, J., Jarský, V., Dobšinská, Z., Sarvaš, M., Sarvašová, Z., Bučko, J., & Hustinová, M. (2025). Consumer Perceptions and Sustainability Challenges in Game Meat Production and Marketing: A Comparative Study of Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Foods, 14(4), 653. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14040653
DOI 10.3390/foods14040653Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Riedl, M., Němec, M., Jarský, V., & Zahradník, D. (2024). Unveiling game meat: an analysis of marketing mix and consumer preferences for a forest ecosystem product. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8, 1463806. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1463806
DOI 10.3389/fsufs.2024.1463806Forests
Němec, M., Riedl, M., Jarský, V., & Dudík, R. (2023). Analysis of consumer attitudes as an important tool for the segmentation and development of the game market in the Czech Republic. Forests, 14(3), Article 450. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030450
DOI 10.3390/f14030450Journal of Forest Science
Němec, M., Skřivánková, A., Vaca, D., Novák, J., Riedl, M., Dudík, R., & Jarský, V. (2023). The factors limiting the venison market in the Czech Republic and options for limiting their impact on the Forestry. Journal of Forest Science, 69(3), 101-113. https://doi.org/10.17221/142/2022-jfs
DOI 10.17221/142/2022-jfsABOUT THE RESEARCH
This portal explains research on forest ecosystem services and economics at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. It connects everyday experience with original scientific studies.
Co-author of the featured studies
RNDr. Marcel Riedl, CSc.
Scientific guarantor
Ing. et Ing. Martin Němec, Ph.D.
