Mokřadlo

Mokřadlo is a nature reserve spanning the cadastral territories of Bezděkov, Podmoklany, and Sloupno, within the Železné hory Protected Landscape Area in eastern Czechia. The protected site covers 13.3078 hectares and sits at an elevation of 444–447 metres.

How the reserve came to be

Mokřadlo occupies the site of a former fishpond on the Cerhovka stream. Once fish farming ceased, the abandoned pond gradually filled in with wetland vegetation, developing into a mosaic of habitats typical of a small stream valley left to its own devices. The area was granted nature reserve status in 1996, locking in protection before further land-use change could take place and allowing the emerging ecosystem to develop undisturbed.

What the reserve looks like today

The site combines several habitat types side by side: open water, alder groves (alder carr woodland), reed beds, and tall sedge stands. This concentration of varied wetland habitats in a compact area makes Mokřadlo a notable spot on the ecological map of the Podoubraví region. The reserve also functions as a natural water-retention area, capturing rainfall runoff — a role that benefits the surrounding landscape without disrupting the reserve's own ecological balance, and one that helps maintain the damp conditions its plant and animal life depend on.

Internationally, the site is classified under IUCN Category IV — Habitat/Species Management Area — meaning active conservation management, rather than simple non-intervention, is part of how the reserve is maintained.

A surprising richness of wildlife

For its modest size, Mokřadlo supports a striking number of vertebrate species. A survey carried out between 1997 and 2000 confirmed the presence of 145 vertebrate species within the reserve, with researchers suspecting that at least four additional species may also be present, though not conclusively documented at the time. This diversity reflects the ecological value of the site: the mix of open water, reed beds, and alder groves provides breeding and foraging grounds for wetland birds, amphibians, and small mammals tied to marshy environments.

Why it's worth a visit

Mokřadlo appeals to visitors interested in observing nature in an unmanicured, self-developed state — there's no visitor infrastructure here, but there is a dense concentration of biological activity packed into a small footprint. It also serves as a good example of how a piece of land once shaped by human economic activity — in this case a fishpond — can, once abandoned, evolve into a legally protected and ecologically valuable habitat.

The reserve lies within the Železné hory (Iron Mountains), a region known for its rolling terrain, forests, and river valleys, making the surrounding area well suited to longer walking routes that link several nature sites together.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Mokřadlo located? The reserve lies within the cadastral areas of Bezděkov, Podmoklany, and Sloupno, inside the Železné hory Protected Landscape Area in eastern Czechia.

When was the reserve established? It received protected status in 1996.

How large is the protected area? The reserve covers 13.3078 hectares, at an elevation of 444–447 metres.

What habitats does it contain? Open water, alder groves, reed beds, and tall sedge vegetation.

How many animal species live there? Surveys from 1997–2000 confirmed 145 vertebrate species, with a few additional species suspected.