7 Surprising Insights You Haven’t Discovered… About Protected Areas, National Parks, and Exciting Advances in Nature Conservation

Some locations are meant to be explored, like untouched areas that are full of wild beauty, hidden spots, and stories that date back thousands of years. In certain regions, you’ll come across lush forests filled with the scent of pine, while in others, you can enjoy rolling plains with herds of animals and stunning landscapes. And the truly wonderful aspect? Each of these places is eager to reveal their distinct beauty in every season of the year.

Every year brings more opportunities to rejoice, as the Czech Republic boasts four national parks and nearly thirty protected landscape areas. Although the number of these parks doesn’t fluctuate much, occasionally new ones are introduced. Which areas are being added, and what updates do we have regarding nature? Let’s dive in and find out through the portal Where to Go from Boredom.

1. Bohemian Paradise, our oldest protected landscape area

The captivating landscape between Turnov and Jičín has drawn hikers for many centuries. Around the late 19th and early 20th century, a group of intellectuals and writers from Prague gathered at the Sedmihorky Spa and began referring to it as Czech Paradise – a name that still resonates today. This name stems from the stunning rock formations that come in various shapes and sizes, ranging from expansive rock cities to slender towers, as well as deep ravines, gorges, caves, and peculiar cliffs. On March 1, 1955, the Bohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area was established as the first ever protected area in the Czech Republic. Nowadays, the Bohemian Paradise Geopark features hundreds of exciting spots to explore and appreciate nature. On the Kudy z boredom site, you’ll find recommendations for the most picturesque locations in Bohemian Paradise, the most beautiful rock formations, and even hidden treasures that may remind you of fairy tales and movies set in this breathtaking region.

2. When do our national parks celebrate their anniversaries?

However, protected areas do more than just please the eyes and the soul—they are also sites of celebration! Each year, we honor the anniversaries of their establishment, growth, and protection because safeguarding the beauty of our land is a continuous endeavor. Are you considering one of the national parks? In 2023, we celebrate the Krkonoše National Park, which became known as our oldest national park in May 1963. In 1991, both Šumava National Park and Podyjí National Park were established, while the latest addition, the Czech Switzerland National Park, was created in 2000. Furthermore, there are plans in the future to announce the Křivoklát National Park.

3. Celebrate the anniversary of protected areas with Kudy z boredom!

Whether you’re keen on hiking, cycling, or simply wish to relish a few quiet moments surrounded by nature, there’s always a great reason to step outside. So, where will you venture this time? How about visiting one of the protected areas?

4. New protected landscape areas Soutok and Krušné hory

Have you noticed? There is a new protected landscape area called Soutok now included in the list of protected zones. This area, featuring the largest floodplain forest complex in Central Europe at the confluence of the Morava and Dyje rivers, had remained unprotected as a whole for quite some time. Due to its outstanding natural character, the region has been dubbed the Moravian Amazon. For several decades, conservationists have advocated for its comprehensive protection. Besides the floodplain forests, you can also find ancient oak trees and other rare species, although experts warn that these are quickly diminishing.

5. The largest upcoming protected area.

Nature in the Czech Republic is a true treasure that deserves safeguarding—but where do we draw the line between preserving it and allowing people to live in these areas? The planned protected landscape area in the Erzgebirge is stirring both excitement and worry. While environmentalists are pressing for clear regulations and stable protection of these mountains as they transition from industrial regions to a breathtaking natural landscape, many local residents are apprehensive about the potential restrictions that such designation could impose. Balancing nature conservation, tourism growth, and the rights of residents—how can we find a middle ground? This is a question that echoes throughout the Ore Mountains and beyond.

6. Houses of Nature: a story that began in 2006

Two years later, it welcomed a slightly late gift: the inauguration of the Bohemian Karst Nature House, located at the Koněprusské Caves.

The narrative of the Nature Houses began back in 2006. Their numbers are still on the rise; aside from the Bohemian Karst Nature House, you can also visit Nature Houses in places like the Slavkov Forest in Kladská, Blaník in Kondrac, Žďár Hills in Sněžné, Poodří in Bartošovice, the Bohemian Forest in Klenčí pod Čerchovem, Pálava in Dolní Věstonice, White Carpathians in Veselí nad Moravou, Jizera Mountains in Oldřichov v Hájích, Moravian Karst, Bohemian Paradise in Dolánky u Turnova, Hodonín Dúbrava in Hodonín, Litovel Pomerania in Horka nad Moravou, Brda in the hunting lodge Tři trubky, and Třeboň Region in Třeboň.

The Nature Houses are also supplemented by modern information and visitor centers, such as the one in the Soos National Nature Reserve. Projects are currently underway for the Nature House of the Jeseníky Mountains in Karlova Studánka and the Information Center of the Jizera Mountains Protected Landscape Area at the Mariánské hory huts.

7. Bohemian Switzerland after fire and bark beetle calamity

No area of protected nature has received as much attention in recent years as Czech Switzerland. It is one of the most frequently visited national parks, attracting over two and a quarter million visitors in a single year before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout its twenty-five-year history, the park has managed to survive bark beetle infestations, windstorms, and even the largest forest fire in modern Czech history, which in the summer of 2022 affected more than 1,600 hectares. While natural regrowth continues in the national park and green spaces gradually expand, where new forests will eventually rise, uncertainties remain about the return of tourists to certain areas. Due to the risk of falling trees, the Gabrielina Trail leading to Pravčická Gate remains off-limits. Meanwhile, the Kamenice Gorges are still under partial closure, but there is hope for a gradual reopening by 2025. Edmund Gorge.