Horní Bělá

Horní Bělá is a small yet ecologically significant river valley protected as a nature monument in the Blansko District, situated between the villages of Kořenec and Šebetov. Covering 22.44 hectares, the site forms part of the Řehořkovo Kořenecko nature park and has been under legal protection since 1997. It was designated to safeguard a meadow enclave along the Bělá River, where riparian vegetation survives alongside pockets of wetland and low-moor peat communities — a combination that has become increasingly rare across the Drahany Highlands.

Why visit this valley?

The Bělá valley appeals to travelers who prefer quiet, uncrowded nature over busy attractions. Instead of monuments or viewpoints, it offers a mosaic of floodplain meadows, alder stands, and waterlogged hollows that hold moisture for most of the year, sustaining plant communities that have vanished from much of the surrounding region.

What grows here?

The nature monument supports species typical of wet meadows and low-moor peatlands, including water avens, bogbean, broad-leaved marsh orchid, bistort, marsh violet, marsh cudweed, hemp agrimony, and northern bedstraw. Their continued presence indicates that the habitat remains in relatively good condition. Historical records also mention wood stitchwort, spiked speedwell, and marsh ragwort, but these species disappeared during a period when the meadows went unmanaged and were no longer regularly mown, allowing more aggressive vegetation to take over.

Why does management matter here?

Wet meadows like this one depend on consistent mowing to stay open. Without it, reeds, willow scrub, and other competitive plants quickly encroach, crowding out the more delicate species that need light and low competition to survive. The earlier lapse in mowing is exactly what caused several plant species to vanish from the site — a reminder that protected status alone does not preserve a habitat without active, ongoing care.

How does it connect to nearby protected land?

Horní Bělá directly borders the Pod Švancarkou nature reserve, located further upstream along the same Bělá River in the cadastral area of Horní Štěpánov, in the Prostějov District. Together, the two protected areas form a continuous ecological corridor along the river, allowing species and habitats to remain connected rather than existing as isolated fragments — an important factor for biodiversity at a regional scale.

Where exactly is it located?

The valley lies in the South Moravian Region, within the Blansko District, straddling the cadastral boundary between the municipalities of Kořenec and Benešov u Boskovic. It sits in a quiet, rural corner of the Drahany Highlands, away from major tourist routes, which has helped the landscape retain its natural character.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors explore Horní Bělá on their own? Yes, the area is open to the public, though visitors should stick to marked paths and avoid disturbing the plant and wildlife habitats, as is standard practice in protected natural areas.

When is the best time to visit? Late spring and early summer offer the best chance to see the wetland and meadow species in bloom, when the valley's plant communities are at their most visible.

What makes this site different from an ordinary meadow? Its value lies in the combination of habitats — floodplain meadow, riparian vegetation, and pockets of peatland — packed into a small area rarely found together elsewhere in this part of Moravia, and only preserved through continued, deliberate management.