Lom u Nové Vsi

Lom u Nové Vsi is a small but ecologically significant nature reserve set in a former stone quarry, located right next to the village of Nová Ves I in the Kolín district of Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. Covering just 0.33 hectares at an elevation of 210 to 230 metres above sea level, this modest site was protected for two distinct reasons: the geological value of its exposed rock layers and its role as a refuge for endangered amphibians.

How did this place come to be?

The area now forming the reserve was once an active quarry where road-building aggregate was extracted. Mining began in the 1930s and continued until 1958. Once operations ceased, vegetation gradually reclaimed the site, and a pond formed at the bottom of the pit, which today serves as the heart of this small ecosystem. The site was granted nature-protection status on 20 November 1990.

What can you see in the old quarry walls?

The exposed walls of the former quarry reveal Cretaceous sediments dating from the lower to middle Turonian stage. For geologists and paleontologists, these layers offer a valuable window into the region's history tens of millions of years ago, when the area lay beneath a shallow Cretaceous sea. This clarity of the geological record was one of the main reasons the site was placed under protection.

Why does the pond at the bottom of the quarry matter so much?

Water that collected in the lowest part of the abandoned pit has, over time, become a refuge for several amphibian species whose populations are increasingly scarce across the farmed landscapes of Central Bohemia. The pond and its surroundings are home to the smooth newt, the great crested newt, and the fire-bellied toad. For these species, a small, isolated body of water in a disused quarry effectively functions as a gene-pool reserve, a place where they can breed away from the pressures typical of intensively used agricultural land.

What does the site look like today?

Lom u Nové Vsi is now a quiet, partly overgrown site where natural plant succession has softened the traces of former quarrying. The rock walls remain clearly visible, while vegetation typical of damp habitats has spread around the pond. The site is valued primarily for its scientific and ecological significance rather than as a developed tourist attraction; it has no visitor infrastructure, but it offers a quiet spot for anyone interested in geology and local wildlife.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Lom u Nové Vsi located? The reserve lies next to the village of Nová Ves I, in the Kolín district of the Central Bohemian Region, at an elevation of 210–230 metres above sea level.

How large is the protected area? It covers only 0.33 hectares, making it one of the smaller protected sites in the region.

When was the site granted protected status? It was declared a nature monument on 20 November 1990.

Why is this site protected? For two reasons: the geological value of its exposed Cretaceous sediments (lower to middle Turonian) and its function as a habitat for endangered amphibians, including the great crested newt and the fire-bellied toad.

Was this site previously used for mining? Yes, it was once an active quarry for road-building aggregate, worked from the 1930s until 1958.