Olšina v Novolhotském lese

Olšina v Novolhotském lese is a small but ecologically valuable protected area (a natural monument) located in the municipality of Černá v Pošumaví, in the Český Krumlov district in southern Bohemia, within the wider Šumava region. The site is managed by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic and is listed in the national register of protected areas under registration number 1555.

What exactly is protected here?

The core of the site is a patch of alder-spruce forest growing on wet, peaty ground. It's precisely this combination — a waterlogged habitat paired with alder stands that transition in places into drier spruce forest — that gives the location its ecological value. Within the woodland, several developmental stages of the forest can be observed side by side, from younger regrowth to older, denser stands, which points to a naturally evolving, largely undisturbed environment. The peaty substrate also supports a distinct, moisture-loving understory vegetation typical of wet alder woodlands.

Why was this particular spot protected?

Peatland alder forests are considerably rarer across the Šumava foothills than the region's more typical spruce or mixed stands, which is why such enclaves are often protected as small-scale natural monuments — valued not for their size, but for how unusual the habitat is within the broader regional landscape. The presence of clearly distinguishable, successive forest development phases, from regeneration through to mature stands, also makes the site an interesting reference point for anyone curious about natural forest dynamics unaffected by commercial forestry.

Where is it located?

The protected area lies within a woodland known as Novolhotský les, inside the administrative boundaries of Černá v Pošumaví, not far from the shores of Lake Lipno — the largest artificial reservoir in the Czech Republic and the main tourist draw of the surrounding area. Its coordinates are approximately 48.7149 N, 14.1445 E, placing it in the southern part of Šumava, close to the Austrian border.

How to explore the surrounding area?

The natural monument itself is not a developed tourist attraction with visitor infrastructure — it is primarily a site of ecological and scientific significance rather than a place with marked educational trails or lookout points. It's worth combining a visit with exploring the wider Černá v Pošumaví area, which offers easy access both to Lake Lipno and to the forests of Šumava National Park and the Šumava Protected Landscape Area. The region is known for its calm scenery, an extensive network of hiking and cycling routes, and its proximity to water.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors enter the natural monument? Natural monuments in the Czech Republic are usually not entirely off-limits to walkers, but as protected areas they call for extra care — avoid damaging vegetation, do not collect plant specimens, and stay on existing paths where any are present.

What makes this area different from an ordinary forest? The key difference lies in the wet, peaty ground and the dominance of alder alongside spruce, combined with preserved natural stages of forest development — features less common in the region's typical, commercially managed woodlands.

How do you get to Olšina v Novolhotském lese? The starting point is the municipality of Černá v Pošumaví on Lake Lipno, from where the wooded area containing the natural monument lies a short distance away, within Novolhotský les.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The area around Černá v Pošumaví and Lake Lipno offers lakeside recreation, trails leading toward Šumava National Park, and numerous smaller protected sites typical of this part of southern Bohemia.