On Nature in the Czech Republic

Nature Conservation 4/2010 — 14. 9. 2010 — On Nature in the Czech Republic — Print article in pdf

The Doupovske hory/Doupov Hills

author: Jan Matějů

The Doupovske hory/Doupov Hills are situated in northwestern Bohemia between the towns of Karlovy Vary/Carlsbad and Kadaň.

At the same time, the area is the most extensive volcanic complex in the Czech Republic, the site with the highest proportion of natural habitats in Bohemia and the largest military shooting range in Central Europe. Most of the Doupovske hory/Doupov Hills have been covered by the Hradiště Military Training Area since 1953. The mountain range was created by volcanic activities and the area totals 607 km². Its mean altitude is 558 m a.s.l., while the highest peak Mt. Hradiště reaches 934 m a.s.l. Nature of the Doupovske hory/Doupov Hills has been well-preserved because it was not heavily exploited in the 20^thcentury. Due to presence of the military training area and on the other hand, absence of human settlements, both abiotic and biotic environments have evolved into some unusual nature and landscape components. Large shrub patches, pools formed by shot dropping, shooting ranges influenced by frequent fires or bare surface of tank roads cannot be met in the “ordinary” landscape. Herb-rich beech growths, ash-alder floodplain forests or broken stone or scree forest stands have been preserved there. Rock steppes, dry grasslands and wetlands harbour the most remarkable vegetation. Species-rich meadows and extensively managed fishponds with diversified macrophyte vegetation should also be mentioned. Among others, 160 specially protected wild animal species occur there, as well as 235 wild plants species from the Red List of Threatened Species in the Czech Republic.

The whole territory of the Doupovske hory/Doupov Hills has been included into the European Communitys Natura 2000 network and consists of the Hradiště and Doupovske hory/Doupov Sites of European Importance (pursuant to Act No. 114/1992 Gazette on the Protection of Nature and the Landscape, as amended later, the term for Sites of Community Importance, SCIs under the Habitats Directive). At the same time, the Doupovske hory/Doupov Hills were declared as a Bird Area (pursuant to the above act, the term for the Special Protection Area, SPA under the Birds Directive). It is not only the second largest SPA in the Czech Republic, but it was proposed to maintain viable populations of 11 bird species, listed in Annex I to the Birds Directive. In addition, the SPA harbours also nationally significant populations of other 19 bird species, protected under the latter European Communitys piece of legislation. Within the above region, in total 13 small-size Specially Protected Areas have been established, of them two being at least of national importance. Attempts to declare the Doupovske hory/Doupov Hills as a Protected Landscape Area (IUCN category V), providing the whole region with appropriate nature and landscape management measures, have failed.