Mlýnský potok a Uhlířky

Mlýnský potok a Uhlířky is a small natural monument located roughly 1.5 km east of the village of Vepřová, in the Žďár nad Sázavou district, on the border between the Žďársko and Havlíčkobrodsko regions of the Czech Highlands (Vysočina). The site sits at an elevation of 548–604 metres above sea level and falls under the administration of the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area, managed by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (AOPK ČR).

What does this protected area cover?

The monument protects a stretch of forest stream running from the Nový rybník pond down to the fishponds near Velká Losenice. It is one of the few watercourses in the region that has retained a genuinely natural, meandering channel. Along its course the stream alternates between faster, stony sections and calmer, slow-flowing stretches — a variety of microhabitats that supports the area's biological diversity.

Why is it worth protecting?

The meandering streambed, together with the surrounding damp meadows, provides habitat for plants and animals tied to wetland and aquatic environments (hygrophilous species). Valuable meadow plant communities have survived along the banks, typical of undisturbed stream valleys in the Žďár highlands. It is precisely this combination of an intact stream hydromorphology and the adjoining wet meadows that justified granting the site legal protection.

What does the landscape look like?

The reserve has a typical forest-and-meadow character common to the foothills of the Vysočina region. The stream winds through gently varied terrain, flanked by woodland and marshy meadows. Its position between two larger water bodies — Nový rybník on one side and the fishponds of Velká Losenice on the other — also lets it function as an ecological corridor linking different aquatic habitats across the region.

Who is this place for?

Mlýnský potok a Uhlířky appeals mainly to nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and amphibian spotters, as well as anyone looking for a quiet, little-visited corner of the Vysočina highlands. Because it holds protected status, visitors should stick to marked paths and respect the habitats of the wild species living there.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Mlýnský potok a Uhlířky natural monument? About 1.5 km east of the village of Vepřová, in the Žďár nad Sázavou district, on the border of the Žďársko and Havlíčkobrodsko regions, at an elevation of 548–604 metres.

What is being protected here? A meandering stretch of forest stream flowing from Nový rybník to the fishponds at Velká Losenice, along with the wet meadows and hygrophilous species habitats that accompany it.

Who manages the area? It falls under the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area, administered by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (AOPK ČR).

Can visitors walk through it? Yes, but as a protected natural monument it requires staying on designated routes and following the nature-conservation rules that apply within its boundaries.