About this place
Malhostovické kopečky is a small but ecologically remarkable nature reserve near the villages of Malhostovice and Nuzířov, in the Brno-venkov district of South Moravia. Covering just 2.6 hectares, it protects one of the most valuable stands of steppe vegetation found anywhere in the Tišnov Basin.
What are Malhostovické kopečky?
The reserve was established on 1 July 2015 by merging two previously separate protected areas — Malhostovická pecka and Drásovský kopeček — which were formally abolished as independent nature monuments on that date and folded into a single, jointly managed site. As a result, today's Malhostovické kopečky actually consists of two distinct limestone "islands" located near one another but administered as one continuous protected area.
Why is this place protected?
The limestone bedrock in this part of Moravia supports warmth-loving steppe plant communities — habitats that survive in Central Europe today only in a handful of isolated pockets. That rarity is why the site has also been included among the European Sites of Community Importance under the Natura 2000 network. Among the species growing on these hills is the pheasant's eye (Adonis vernalis), a critically endangered plant whose presence on such a small patch of land gives Malhostovické kopečky significance well beyond the local area.
What does the terrain look like?
The section known as Malhostovická pecka, formerly a separate reserve in its own right, sits roughly 500 metres southwest of the village of Malhostovice, at an elevation ranging from 300 to 332.3 metres above sea level. Its distinctly dome-shaped hill — the source of the name "kopečky," meaning "little hills" in Czech — stands out clearly from the gentler surrounding landscape of the Tišnov Basin.
What should visitors know before coming?
Because of its protected status and the presence of rare, sensitive plant species, the site deserves careful treatment: visitors are best advised to stick to marked paths and avoid picking any vegetation. Spring is the ideal time to visit, when the pheasant's eye is in bloom, while summer showcases the full range of steppe plants typical of these limestone hills.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly are Malhostovické kopečky located? In the Tišnov Basin, in the Brno-venkov district, near the villages of Malhostovice and Nuzířov, about 500 metres southwest of Malhostovice itself.
When was the reserve established? Its current form dates to 1 July 2015, when two previously separate reserves, Malhostovická pecka and Drásovský kopeček, were merged into one.
How large is the protected area? The reserve covers 2.6 hectares, made up of two separate limestone "islands."
What makes this site special? Its warmth-loving steppe vegetation growing on limestone bedrock, including the critically endangered pheasant's eye, along with its status as a Natura 2000 site of European importance.
Can visitors walk around freely? Yes, though given its protected status it's best to stay on marked trails and avoid disturbing the plant life.
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