Tankodrom

Tankodrom is a 31.2-hectare nature reserve located northwest of the town of Rakovník, south of the village of Olešná, in the Rakovník Basin of Central Bohemia. Its name reflects the site's former use: until the 1990s it served as a tank training ground, used by the Czechoslovak army from the 1950s onward. The reserve was formally established in 1999, shortly after military activity ceased.

Why is a former tank range now a nature reserve?

The site's military past is precisely what gave it ecological value. For decades, heavy armored vehicles repeatedly disturbed the ground surface, churning up ruts, depressions and patches of bare mineral soil. Because the land was never subjected to intensive farming, it also escaped the pesticides and chemical fertilizers typical of Central European agricultural land. The combination produced a mosaic of open habitats — grasslands, early successional vegetation and temporary water bodies — that has become increasingly rare across the region as farmland use has intensified.

What wildlife lives here?

The reserve is known for invertebrates, amphibians and birds adapted to a mix of seasonal pools and dry grassland. Among its most notable residents is the tadpole shrimp (Triops cancriformis), a primitive crustacean that relies on temporary puddles to complete its life cycle, alongside the swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon), one of the region's most recognizable daytime species. Amphibians include the alpine newt (Triturus alpestris) and the natterjack toad (Bufo calamita), a species that favors sandy, sparsely vegetated ground. Birdlife includes the woodlark (Lullula arborea), the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) and the Eurasian wryneck (Jynx torquilla), all species tied to a patchwork of scrub and open terrain.

How is the reserve managed today?

Conservation efforts focus on preserving the diverse habitats created by decades of ground disturbance. Left alone, the open grassland would gradually be overtaken by shrubs and forest through natural succession, so active management is required to keep it open. The reserve's managers cooperate with the Army of the Czech Republic, which still uses the adjoining military training area — a partnership that has helped establish additional pools and depressions mimicking the effects of the old tank maneuvers, sustaining favorable conditions for the reserve's wildlife.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the reserve called Tankodrom? The name comes from the site's former role as a tank training ground, used by the military from the 1950s until the 1990s.

When was the nature reserve established? It was designated in 1999, shortly after military training on the site ended.

What are the most notable species found here? Highlights include the tadpole shrimp, swallowtail butterfly, alpine newt, natterjack toad, and birds such as the woodlark and red-backed shrike.

Where exactly is Tankodrom located? The reserve lies in the Rakovník Basin in Central Bohemia, northwest of Rakovník and south of the village of Olešná.