The Journal is published by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic in cooperation with the Cave Administration of the Czech Republic, the Krkonoše Mts. National Park Administration, the Bohemian Forest Mts. National Park Administration, the Podyjí National Park Administration and the The Bohemian Switzerland National Park Administration. It has been published since 1946.
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Nature Conservation 4/2011 — 3. 11. 2011 — On Nature in the Czech Republic — Print article in pdf
Štefka L.: The Moravský kras/Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area Fifty-five Years Old
The Moravský kras/Moravian Karst is the most important karst area in the Czech Republic. Since 1956, it has been a Protected Landscape Area (PLA), covering 92 km2. Unique wildlife features as well as numerous archaeological, palaeontological and cultural monuments can be found there.
The area is formed by Middle Devonian to Lower Carboniferous limestones. More than 1,000 caves have been discovered within the PLA, five of them being show caves. The Císařská jeskyně/Imperial Cave is used for speleotherapy. The biggest cave system, the Amatérská jeskyně/Amateur Cave reaching more than 40 km in length, has been designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. Cave sediments have preserved remarkable evidence that the area had been inhabited by the Neanderthal man 120,000 year ago. At the same time, animal cuttings from the Upper Palaeolithic Magdalenian culture (13,000–10,000 years B.C.) are famous around the world. Almost 60% of the whole PLA´s territory is covered by forests. Thermophilous communities in the southern part are followed by extensive beech forests in the central part and submontane forest growths in glens. In the Moravský kras/Moravian Karst, also endemic species occur. In total, 22 bat species inhabit the area. Due to its remarkable natural value, more than half of the PLA´s has been included into the European Union´s Natura 2000 network. Using both national and EU funds, plots above caves were grassed. Visitor attendance is controlled and in deep karst canyons of the Pustý žleb/Wild Glen and Suchý žleb/Dry Glen cars are prohibited. Because of nature conservation purposes, limits for visitors were laid down and some sites are closed in the bat hibernation period. The new Skalní mlýn/Rock Mill Visitor Centre shall improve communication, education and raising awareness among PLA´s visitors.