Milská stráň

Milská stráň is a nature reserve in the Rakovník district of the Czech Republic, sitting right at the northeastern edge of the village of Milý, within the Džbán Nature Park. The protected area covers a steep, south-facing slope above the valley of the Hřešický stream, stretching for roughly three-quarters of a kilometer. Protection was first declared by a resolution of the Rakovník District National Committee on 23 September 1988, taking effect on 1 November of that same year. Today the site holds the status of a nature reserve and is also designated as a Site of Community Importance under the European Natura 2000 network.

What does the reserve protect?

Milská stráň covers an area of 11.1 hectares, with elevation ranging from 384 to 450 meters above sea level. The reserve exists to protect warmth-loving grassland and scrub communities growing on so-called "white slopes" — a name that comes from the pale, calcareous marlstone (opuka) bedrock underlying the site, which creates dry, mineral-rich conditions favored by heat-tolerant plant species.

What species live here?

The reserve is best known for its exceptionally rich orchid population. Among the highlights is the early marsh orchid's relative, the military orchid (vstavač nachový), whose population here numbers in the thousands and is considered the largest in the entire Czech Republic. Alongside it grow several other orchid species, including the greater butterfly orchid, the twayblade, and multiple species of helleborine. Other notable warmth-loving plants recorded on the slope include fringed gentian, treacle mustard, the chalk aster, and upright clematis.

The reserve also supports a varied fauna adapted to warm, dry slopes. Recorded species include the heath cicada, common toad, agile frog, European tree frog, sand lizard, slow worm, as well as reptiles such as the smooth snake and the common European adder.

Has the protected area grown over time?

The reserve has now been under protection for nearly four decades, and for most of that time its combined area — including the buffer zone — measured around 13 hectares. Detailed field surveys, however, revealed that rare and valuable plants also grow beyond the originally designated boundaries, within the protective buffer zone. As a result, the Central Bohemian Region (Středočeský kraj) decided to expand the protected area to formally include these additional orchid sites and other protected species' habitats.

Where exactly is it located?

The reserve lies within the municipality of Milý, in the Rakovník district of the Central Bohemian Region, inside the Džbán Nature Park — a large protected landscape area known for its mosaic of forests, stream valleys, and dry, warmth-loving grasslands. Its approximate coordinates are 50.235°N, 13.875°E.

Frequently asked questions

Is Milská stráň open to visitors? Yes, marked trails run through and around the reserve, allowing visitors to observe the flowering orchids and the distinctive white-slope landscape, which is especially rewarding in spring and early summer during the flowering season.

Why is it called a "white slope"? The name refers to the pale marlstone bedrock exposed on the hillside, which gives the slopes their characteristic light color and supports the reserve's specialized, heat-loving vegetation.

Which orchid is most abundant here? The military orchid (vstavač nachový), whose population of several thousand plants is considered the largest of its kind in the Czech Republic.