Ulrichov

Ulrichov is a former nature reserve in the Novohradské hory mountains, in the Český Krumlov district of South Bohemia, on the northern slope of Jelení hill and along the right bank of the Kabelský stream. It sits roughly 5.5 km southwest of the village of Pohorská Ves, deep within the Novohradské hory Nature Park, and can only be reached via forest tracks — there is no marked hiking trail leading to it.

What made Ulrichov worth protecting?

The site covered 9.24 hectares and was placed under protection in 1992 by the district office in Český Krumlov. The designation aimed to preserve old-growth-like stands of beech, fir and spruce forest growing on acidic, moisture-rich soils. Forests of this kind, now rare in the Czech Republic, are particularly valuable for species tied to decaying and dead wood, including saproxylic beetles and birds that nest in tree cavities.

Why is it no longer a standalone reserve?

Effective January 30, 2014, the South Bohemian Regional Authority abolished Ulrichov's status as an independent protected area. This did not mean the land lost its protection, however — it was folded into the newly created, much larger Horní Malše nature reserve, which covers extensive stretches of the upper Malše river valley and its surrounding forests. Consolidating smaller reserves like Ulrichov into a broader protected zone made it possible to safeguard a more continuous ecosystem rather than an isolated pocket of old forest.

How is Ulrichov connected to Pohorská Ves?

The nearest sizeable settlement is Pohorská Ves, a small municipality in the Český Krumlov district located in the western part of the Novohradské hory, close to the Austrian border. The village has around 200 residents today. Its history dates back to 1769, when Johann Buquoy founded the settlement and named it Theresienedorf in honor of his wife, Countess Theresia. That German name remained in use for nearly two centuries before being replaced by the Czech Pohorská Ves (an earlier Czech variant, Terčina Ves, also referenced the countess directly).

What defines the surrounding region?

The Novohradské hory range straddles the Czech-Austrian border, with its Czech portion covering more than 190 km² around towns such as Nové Hrady, Horní Stropnice, Benešov nad Černou, Dolní Dvořiště and Malonty. The entire area is protected as the Novohradské hory Nature Park, spanning 162 km² — the zone that once included Ulrichov as one of its smaller reserves. The region is defined by extensive forest cover, sparse population, and its proximity to the Austrian border, factors that have kept much of it relatively undisturbed for decades.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a marked trail to Ulrichov? No — the site can only be reached via forest roads, with no official hiking trail leading to it.

Is Ulrichov still a protected area? As a standalone reserve it ceased to exist in 2014, but its territory now forms part of the larger Horní Malše nature reserve.

How large was the reserve? It covered 9.24 hectares.

Why was the area originally protected? For its old-growth-like beech and fir forest, valuable to birds and insects dependent on dead wood.

How far is it from Pohorská Ves? About 5.5 km in a straight line, to the southwest.