The value of the forests accumulated for centuries, and particularly  between 1948 to 1991 when most of the Geopark was designated military area. The military area included military airport Hradcany and military research centre in Brehyne. Actually only a small part of the area was utilised by the armed forces, most of the area were protection zones closed to public. Low level of human activities provided habitat for wildlife. It was recognised already in the 1960s and biodiversity protection territories were gradually established. Military activities of the occupation Soviet Army caused serious damages on forests and polluted soils in some parts of the forests in the military area, however most natural values continued to enjoy relatively quiet conditions for their preservation and development. After the withdrawal of the Soviet army the Czech Army started decontamination of the polluted parts (it included pyrotechnical and chemical decontamination which lasted roughly 10 years). In meantime it was clear that the area no longer will be used by the army. There were some attempts to privatize the forests, the regional government (Liberecky kraj), and local municipalities were interested in getting the forests in their ownership. Finally, the government decided to keep most of the former military are in the state ownership.

Nowadays 80% of the forest area (23520 ha) is owned by the state and manged by the state company Vojenske lesy a statky (VLS / Military Forests and Farms). The rest belongs to Municipalities Ralsko, Mimon and Doksy and some individual owners.

About one third of the Geopark area is protected in the Protected Landscape Area Kokorinsko- Machuv Kraj. It means that 7056 hectares of forests are under restricted regime of cultivation and recreational use. However, these restrictions are mostly moderate allowing cultivation of production forests and free access of visitors. The exceptions are highly protected conservation areas – these extent on 1385 hectares. Here, only natural forests are allowed (no logging) and access of visitors is regulated – moving strictly along the marked paths and the number of hiking tracts is limited, no cyclo- or equestrian routes are permitted.