Ostrov Markéta

Ostrov Markéta is a small but ecologically valuable nature reserve (přírodní památka) located about one kilometer south of the town of Planá nad Lužnicí, in the Tábor district of the Táborská pahorkatina region in South Bohemia, Czech Republic. The protected area covers roughly 26 hectares and consists of an island sitting in the middle of the large Hejtman fishpond, within the cadastral territory of Planá nad Lužnicí.

What does this reserve protect?

The main subject of protection is an old-growth forest stand covering the island, together with a small population of the critically endangered large pink (Dianthus superbus), a wildflower considered especially sensitive to habitat change in the Czech Republic. The understory includes blackberry shrubs and numerous sedge species, while the tree canopy is dominated by pedunculate oak alongside white poplar.

Why is the island important for birds?

Ostrov Markéta holds particular ornithological significance: it is the only known breeding site for the grey heron (Ardea cinerea) in the entire Tábor region. According to regional records, as many as one hundred pairs of these large wading birds nest on the island, making the colony one of the more notable heron breeding sites in South Bohemia. The surrounding waters of the fish-rich Hejtman pond provide an ideal natural feeding ground for the nesting birds.

Can visitors access the reserve?

Not freely. The island lies within an area operated by the fish farming company Rybářství Tábor a.s. (its Strkov facility), which means it is not open to the general public. Reaching the island requires prior arrangement with the fish farm's administrators, since the only access route to the pond shore runs across their land. This restriction also serves a conservation purpose — the heron breeding colony is sensitive to disturbance, particularly during the nesting season.

What can visitors see nearby?

While the island itself remains off-limits, the Hejtman pond and its shoreline can be observed from a safe distance, making the area popular among nature lovers and anglers from the Tábor region. The landscape of fishponds here is typical of South Bohemia and forms part of a wider network of small protected areas around Tábor, many of which are built around centuries-old fish farming estates.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ostrov Markéta open to visitors? No — the island is located within an active fish farming operation, and access requires permission from the administrators of the Strkov facility.

What is protected in this reserve? An old forest stand (pedunculate oak, white poplar) and a critically endangered wildflower, the large pink, along with a grey heron breeding colony.

How many heron pairs nest on the island? Regional records report up to one hundred pairs, making it the only breeding site of this size for the species in the Tábor district.

Where exactly is the reserve located? About one kilometer south of Planá nad Lužnicí, on an island in the middle of the Hejtman fishpond, in the Tábor district of South Bohemia.

Is it still worth visiting the area if the island is closed? Yes — the shores of Hejtman pond offer bird-watching opportunities and a landscape typical of South Bohemian fishpond country, popular with local hikers and cyclists.