Hersica

Hersica is a small nature reserve in southern Moravia, tucked between the villages of Lysice, Kunštát, Černovice and Bedřichov, within the Svratecká hornatina landscape park. The 23.27-hectare site was granted protected status in 1997 and falls under the administration of the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area.

What does the reserve look like?

For most of the year, Hersica resembles an ordinary, damp alder-and-spruce forest growing along the Besénka stream. The wetland forest communities dominated by alder groves keep the ground soft and occasionally muddy, especially after rain. The reserve's real transformation happens in early spring, before the alder trees put out their leaves: at that time hundreds of spring snowflakes (Leucojum vernum) burst into bloom across the forest floor, turning the site into one of the region's more striking seasonal spectacles.

Why is the spring snowflake protected here?

The spring snowflake is a bulbous plant often mistaken for a large snowdrop, distinguished by the small green spots at the tips of its white petals. What makes Hersica special is the sheer density of the population — the flowers form extensive carpets across the wetland forest floor, a concentration rarely matched elsewhere in the region. It was precisely this abundance that justified placing the site under legal protection back in the 1990s.

Where exactly is Hersica and how do you get there?

The reserve's formal address sits near the village of Bedřichov (679 71) in the South Moravian Region. No official hiking trail runs through the reserve itself, so reaching it takes a bit of independent orientation. The most practical approach is along the path connecting Černovice and Bedřichov, or via the green-marked tourist trail heading from Černovice toward Hluboká u Kunštátu — both routes allow a short detour toward the Besénka stream valley, where the protected area lies.

When is the best time to visit?

Early spring is by far the best window, when the spring snowflakes are in bloom — typically before the surrounding trees leaf out, letting light reach the forest floor and making the "flower carpet" effect especially vivid. Outside this brief period, the site behaves like a quiet, unremarkable floodplain forest, drawing mostly nature enthusiasts and botanists rather than large numbers of visitors.

What should you know before visiting?

As a protected nature reserve, Hersica carries the usual restrictions of such sites: visitors should avoid trampling the forest floor, refrain from picking any plants, and stick to existing paths where possible even though no marked trail crosses the reserve. The ground can be wet throughout the year, so sturdy footwear is recommended, particularly during the spring flowering season.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hersica? It is a 23.27-hectare nature reserve in southern Moravia, protecting wetland alder forests and a population of spring snowflakes.

When was the reserve established? It received legal protection in 1997.

What is its main natural attraction? The mass early-spring blooming of the protected spring snowflake (Leucojum vernum) across the wetland forest floor.

Is there a marked trail through the reserve? No official trail crosses Hersica itself; access is via paths from Černovice or Bedřichov.

Where exactly is Hersica located? Between the villages of Lysice, Kunštát, Černovice and Bedřichov, within the Svratecká hornatina landscape park, under the administration of the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area.