Military training area
A military training area, training area (Australia, Ireland, UK) or training centre (Canada) is land set aside specifically to enable military forces to train and exercise for combat. Training areas are usually out of bounds to the general public, but some have limited access when not in use. As well as their military function, they often serve as important wildlife refuges. They are distinct from proving grounds which are designed for purposes such as testing weaponry or equipment. Description. Military training areas are important because they enable troops to train more realistically and in greater numbers over  a wide area without unduly inconveniencing the public or putting others at risk. They are particularly important for all arms training where the different elements of armed forces come together to cooperate and coordinate their fire and movement. Training areas often incorporate a variety of terrain types, including forests, heathland, waterbodies and farmland, as well as urban training facilities such as the 'Afghan village' at Thetford on Stanford Training Area. Such training areas are run by the military and are normally out-of-bounds to the public who may sometimes be allowed access during weekends or holidays. Training areas may  incorporate firing ranges or designated areas where live firing is permitted. Wildlife. Military training areas are often important wildlife refuges and can make a "significant contribution to conservation... if properly managed." This is because they comprise large tracts of countryside with restricted access and are free from development, cultivation or other exploitative activities. They typically divide into areas that are regularly disturbed by vehicle traffic or weapons such as bombs and missiles and areas that are relatively undisturbed. Military training areas are home to some of our most endangered species of animals and plants "precisely because they are used by  the military." In the US, 21% of endangered species live on DoD land which forms only 3% of the country. A Polish study showed that the training was not significantly detrimental to biodiversity. The major factor in this was the lack of human intervention for lengthy periods of time. In Germany, it has been found that wolves moving into new areas will invariably settle first in military training areas before spreading out. This may be because there is less poaching and the hunting areas tend to be far larger than those on private land, so they are less easy to  find. Training areas by country. Europe. Austria. Austria has had important training areas since the 18th century. From 1938 the German Wehrmacht established new training areas, the largest being Döllersheim (now Allentsteig] Training Area in the Waldviertel. Other areas in use today include: Czech Republic. There are five military training areas (MTAs) in the Czech Republic with the total area of 1296 km. They are run by "Military Regions" and have been used since 1994 for joint exercises and training between the Czech armed forces and its allies. This was initially carried out as part of Partnership for Peace Programme  and subsequently with NATO. In addition, since 2001, the armed forces of Austria, Belgium, France, Hungary, the Netherlands and the US have conducted national exercises on Czech MTAs. United Kingdom. The UK has six regional training areas and twenty two overseas training areas.