Branty

Branty is a small but ecologically valuable nature reserve located right next to the village of Malá Losenice, in the Žďár nad Sázavou district of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (Vysočina). The reserve sits at an elevation of 600–620 metres and covers a modest area consisting of a complex of wet, peaty meadows. It lies within the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area and is administered by the regional office of the Žďárské vrchy PLA Administration, part of the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (AOPK ČR).

Why is Branty protected?

The reserve was established to protect wetland peaty meadows that host a notable population of orchid species. It's precisely the presence of these rare and increasingly scarce plants that earned this patch of highland the status of a nature reserve. Among the species growing in Branty's meadows are round-leaved sundew, broad-leaved marsh orchid, and lesser butterfly-orchid — plants typical of waterlogged habitats that have become increasingly rare across Central Europe's farmed landscapes.

What plants and animals live here?

The vegetation of Branty forms a mosaic of wet peat meadows and moisture-loving grassland. Beyond its orchids, the reserve serves as a refuge for numerous amphibian populations — brown frogs, green frogs, and common toads dominate, while the rarer alpine newt and European tree frog also occur here, their presence a sign of the wetland's good ecological condition. Among reptiles, the viviparous lizard inhabits the meadows, and the common adder is occasionally spotted. The reserve also provides breeding habitat for meadow birds such as the meadow pipit and tree pipit.

How to get to the Branty reserve?

The reserve sits directly beside the built-up area of Malá Losenice, making it an easily accessible stop on a tour of the Žďárské vrchy Highlands. The surrounding area belongs to the quiet, agricultural and forested landscape typical of the Vysočina region, away from larger towns, which makes it a good spot for observing nature in a nearly undisturbed setting.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Branty nature reserve protect? The reserve protects wet, peaty meadows along with the orchid species and other wetland-adapted plants that grow there.

What animals live in the Branty reserve? The area is home to numerous amphibians (brown and green frogs, toads, and more rarely alpine newt and European tree frog), reptiles (viviparous lizard, occasionally common adder), and meadow birds such as the meadow pipit.

Where exactly is the Branty reserve located? The reserve lies next to the village of Malá Losenice in the Žďár nad Sázavou district, at an elevation of 600–620 metres, within the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area.

Who manages the reserve? The area is overseen by the regional office of the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area Administration, part of the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (AOPK ČR).