Arboretum Řícmanice

Arboretum Řícmanice is a small but remarkably diverse tree collection sitting on the border between the villages of Babice nad Svitavou and Řícmanice, right in the heart of the Moravian Karst, a short drive north of Brno. Despite the name pointing to Řícmanice, the site — barely 4.3 hectares in size — administratively belongs to the cadastral territory of Babice nad Svitavou, which is where it appears on maps.

Who founded it and why?

The arboretum was established in the 1960s on the initiative of Czech dendrologist Jindřich Chmelař, associated with Mendel University in Brno. It is the second-oldest arboretum operated by the Masarykův les Křtiny School Forest Enterprise, an institution combining academic research with practical forestry management. Since its founding, the site has functioned as a research station for the university, where students and researchers from the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology study how tree species behave under Central European climate conditions.

What is there to see?

The collection's main strength lies in conifers — the arboretum holds one of the most valuable coniferous collections in the entire Czech Republic, comprising more than 100 taxa. Today it counts roughly 90 conifer species alongside about 50 species of deciduous trees, making it an unusually dense reservoir of botanical diversity for such a modest area. Among the most notable specimens is one of the largest Chilean araucarias (Araucaria araucana) found anywhere in the Czech Republic — a tree with a distinctive, spiky silhouette that rarely reaches such impressive size in Central Europe.

Beyond the plant life itself, the grounds hold two features with a more symbolic weight. The first is a monument called "Stromy" (Trees), a structure roughly 6-7 meters tall built before World War II, inscribed with proverbs and folk wisdom about forests gathered from nearly twenty nations around the world, presented in their original languages alongside Czech translations. The second is the "Prosba lesa" (The Forest's Plea) spring, also predating the war, echoing the same underlying theme of respect for woodland nature.

When can you visit?

The arboretum isn't open to the public year-round — it functions primarily as a research site rather than a public park. Visitors can access it once a year, during an open house held on the last Saturday of February. On that day, guided tours are led by dendrologists from Mendel University's Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, who walk visitors through the collection's history and the peculiarities of individual species. Outside this date, organized groups can arrange a visit in advance with the site's administrator.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Arboretum Řícmanice located? Between the villages of Řícmanice and Babice nad Svitavou, within the cadastral area of Babice nad Svitavou, in the Brno-venkov district of the South Moravian Region.

Who manages the arboretum? The Masarykův les Křtiny School Forest Enterprise, affiliated with Mendel University in Brno.

Is admission free? The February open house is open to the public free of charge; for visits outside this date, it's best to confirm arrangements directly with the site's administrator.

What is the collection's biggest highlight? Its coniferous collection of more than 100 taxa, including one of the largest Chilean araucaria specimens in the Czech Republic.