Bzová (natural monument)

Bzová is a small nature reserve protecting a patch of old-growth forest on the summit area of the hill of the same name, which rises to 622 metres above sea level in the southwestern part of the Hostýnské vrchy range. Covering barely 2.64 hectares, the protected area lies roughly 2.5 km northwest of the village of Vlčková, in the Zlín Region of eastern Czechia.

What does this nature monument protect?

The Bzová nature monument was declared in 1987 to safeguard a forest stand of near-primeval character, made up of trees over 160 years old. The canopy is dominated by beech and fir, species typical of the summit zones of the Hostýnské vrchy, growing on Magura flysch — a bedrock formation typical of the Outer Carpathians, built from alternating layers of sandstone and shale. Forest stands this old and largely undisturbed by forestry are now rare in the Czech medium-elevation mountains, which is why Bzová's small size belies its ecological significance.

Where exactly is it located?

The reserve sits within the Hostýnské vrchy Nature Park, a range forming the southwestern extension of the Western Carpathians in Moravia. The summit's approximate coordinates are 49.32°N, 17.74°E. The surrounding landscape is typical of this low mountain region — rolling, forested ridges cut by stream valleys and small clearings.

How do you get there?

Bzová is one of the stops along the Lukov Educational Trail, a nature-and-history walking path that guides visitors through the surrounding parts of the Hostýnské vrchy, explaining local ecology, geology and regional history along the way. Most visitors start from the village of Vlčková, from where marked footpaths climb the slope toward the summit. Because of its protected status, access is limited to the designated trails — the point of protection is not to open the area to free roaming but to preserve a fragment of old forest in as unaltered a state as possible.

Why is it worth a visit?

For nature and forestry enthusiasts, Bzová offers a rare glimpse of what forests in this part of Moravia looked like before intensive forest management took hold. Stands over a century and a half old typically feature large-diameter trunks, standing and fallen deadwood, and a varied vertical structure — elements seldom found in commercially managed forest. Birdwatchers and entomologists interested in old-growth-dependent species will also find something of interest here, though the reserve itself is not a developed tourist destination with visitor infrastructure — rather, it is a waypoint along a hiking route through the Hostýnské vrchy.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors walk freely through the reserve? No — as a protected nature monument, access is restricted to the marked trails, and leaving them is discouraged.

How large is Bzová? The protected area covers just under 2.64 hectares, making it one of the smaller nature monuments in the region, concentrated on the hill's summit.

What is the main reason for protecting it? Preserving an over-160-year-old, near-natural beech-fir forest stand growing on Magura flysch bedrock.

Are there other attractions nearby? Yes — Bzová lies along the Lukov Educational Trail, so visitors can combine a stop here with a longer walk through the Hostýnské vrchy and other natural landmarks in the range.