Radouč

Radouč is a small but remarkable nature reserve on the edge of Mladá Boleslav, in the city district of Debř. Covering just 1.47 hectares, it protects one of the most valuable sites of thermophilic vegetation in the whole of the Czech Republic. The protected area stretches across the southwestern slope of Radouč hill, at an elevation of 225–240 metres, along the left bank of the Jizera river valley.

What makes this place so special?

The slope is formed by calcareous sandstone, which supports rare xerothermic plant communities — herb and grass vegetation adapted to dry, sun-exposed, lime-rich ground. The main focus of protection is Fumana procumbens, a small, creeping plant whose natural occurrence here is considered unique within the country. It was precisely to protect this and other thermophilic species that the site was declared a national nature monument in 1977.

How long has this area been protected?

The natural value of Radouč was already recognised in the second half of the 19th century, when botanists began documenting its flora. Formal protection dates back much further than its current legal status: the site was first protected as a natural locality in 1922, declared a reserve under the name Debř in 1933, and finally given its present status — national nature monument — on 5 December 1977.

Which animals live here?

Beyond its rare plants, Radouč is known for its colony of the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus), a species critically endangered across Central Europe. The ground squirrels live here in close proximity with rabbits, forming an unusual symbiotic relationship in which both species share the same burrows and open ground.

What does the landscape look like?

The treeless, open slopes of Radouč preserve a type of landscape that was far more common along the Jizera valley in the previous century, when such warm, grassy hillsides were a familiar sight in the region. Today, Radouč stands as one of the few well-preserved examples of this kind of habitat left in the area.

Where can you get the best views?

From a viewpoint above the Jizera river valley, visitors can see the ruins of Michalovice Castle, one of the region's historic landmarks, visible from the upper part of the reserve.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to the Radouč nature reserve? It can be reached on foot from the Debř district (about 0.5 km away), from the centre of Mladá Boleslav, or from the Podlázky district.

What is the main subject of protection in the reserve? Rare thermophilic plant communities growing on limestone rock, including a nationally unique site of Fumana procumbens, along with a population of the European ground squirrel.

When was the area first protected? The site was protected as a natural locality from 1922, became a reserve under the name Debř in 1933, and received its current status as a national nature monument on 5 December 1977.

How large is the reserve? Radouč covers an area of 1.47 hectares, at an elevation of 225–240 metres above sea level.