Abstract
The Sudetes (Polish and Czech: Sudety; German: Sudeten) are a mountain range located in the Czech-Polish-German border region with relatively high population density. In the paper we analyse the main type of land-use social conflicts in this region. In the 20th century, the conflicts and problems in the Sudetes were connected mainly with mineral resources exploitation, especially in black coal deep mines and brown coal strip mines. In the 21st century, the growing number of conflicts is caused by plans of ski infrastructure development and settlement growth in valuable nature areas, plans of constructing new quarries and wind power farms. The municipal local spatial management plans and investment plans are sometimes at variance with nature protection needs and focus on the immediate municipal budget income. There are difficulties with the promotion and implementation of alternative projects, which, taking into consideration nature protection, would also satisfy social needs. To promote compromises in spatial planning and to weaken or eliminate ecological conflicts we need to create stronger communication and negotiating networks of local inhabitants, local authorities and naturalists (both scientists and NGOs), and promote the role of alternative nature friendly conceptions at the early stage of spatial planning.