Pod Dračí skálou

Pod Dračí skálou is a small nature reserve on the northern slope of the Dračí vrch hill (676 m above sea level), near the village of Fojtka in the Liberec district, in the Jizera Mountains on the Czech side of the border. The protected area sits at an elevation of 535–565 metres and covers just 0.82 hectares, making it one of the smallest yet most valuable natural sites in the region.

Why was this area given protected status?

The site has been protected since 1967, established to safeguard an unusually rich population of European yew (Taxus baccata) — a species that has all but disappeared from much of Central Europe due to historical logging and its heavy use in traditional woodworking. Natural stands of old yew trees are rare in the Jizera Mountains, which is why this small site carries significance far beyond its modest size.

How many yew trees grow here, and how old are the oldest ones?

The reserve is home to 537 recorded yew trees, of which roughly 467 are seedlings and young specimens. Around 70 mature, larger trees also grow within the protected area. Some of the oldest individuals are estimated to be up to 400 years old — living witnesses to centuries of change in the surrounding forest and landscape.

What else is worth knowing about this site?

The valuable yew stand is fenced off, a measure meant to protect it from excessive visitor pressure and from browsing by deer, since young yew seedlings are particularly vulnerable to being eaten. The site is managed by the Jizerské hory Protected Landscape Area Administration (Správa CHKO Jizerské hory), which oversees its monitoring and conservation status.

As early as 1980, the first educational nature trail was created through the reserve by the Young Protectors of the Jizera Mountains, a local youth initiative dedicated to nature conservation in the region. The trail lets visitors walk close to the site without entering the fenced-off core area, while still experiencing the character of this unusual forest.

How to get there, and what else is nearby?

The reserve lies near the village of Fojtka, not far from the reservoir of the same name, in an area popular with hikers exploring the Jizera Mountains. The Dračí vrch summit, on whose slope the protected site is located, serves as a natural landmark and a frequent goal for shorter hikes that can be combined with visiting the nearby valley and surrounding trails.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors walk directly into the reserve? The yew stand itself is fenced, so the site is mainly experienced from the marked trail running around and near the protected area.

What makes this site special? It is one of the few places in the region with such a large number of naturally growing, and in some cases very old, European yew trees — a species heavily depleted elsewhere in Central Europe.

Since when has the area been protected? The protected status has been in place since 1967.

How large is the protected area? The reserve covers 0.82 hectares, at an elevation of 535–565 metres above sea level.