Vlčí louka

Vlčí louka is a protected natural area in the Jizera Mountains, designated a nature monument in 1965. Covering just under 6 hectares, it sits on the southern slope of Smědavská hora at an elevation of roughly 1,020 to 1,025 metres, within the cadastral territory of the town of Hejnice in the Liberec District, to the south of the town itself. It ranks among the highest-elevation raised bogs anywhere in the Jizera Mountains, making it a genuinely rare type of terrain in this part of the Czech Republic.

What kind of landscape is this?

The site is dominated by dwarf pine (kleč) growth typical of high-altitude mountain bogs. It is a demanding environment: the soil is acidic and permanently waterlogged, and climatic conditions remain harsh even in summer. These pressures have allowed a set of highly specialised plants and animals to persist here long after similar habitats elsewhere in the region disappeared or were altered by human activity.

What plants grow at Vlčí louka?

Among the notable species found within the protected area is the round-leaved sundew, a carnivorous plant that traps insects on its sticky leaves — a classic indicator of undisturbed bog habitat. Cranberry also grows here, alongside various sedges and rushes adapted to constantly saturated ground. Together these species form the kind of mosaic vegetation typical of high-altitude peat bogs, where survival depends on tight tolerances for moisture and soil acidity.

Which animals can be found here?

Vlčí louka serves as habitat for the black grouse, a bird increasingly rare across Central Europe that depends on large, undisturbed areas with a very particular vegetation structure — its presence here is one of the reasons the site was placed under protection. The common European viper (adder) can also be found in the surrounding area, occupying terrain similar to the bog and the damp meadows nearby; it is the only venomous snake native to this part of Europe.

How does Vlčí louka fit into the wider area?

The nature monument is not an isolated patch of protected land. Immediately to its south lie several other protected sites of a similar character: U posedu, Klečové louky and Na kneipě, as well as the Prales Jizera nature reserve. Together, these areas form a network safeguarding the remaining fragments of natural, high-altitude ecosystems in the Jizera Mountains, much of which has otherwise been shaped by forestry and tourism over the centuries.

Frequently asked questions

When did Vlčí louka become a protected area? It was designated a nature monument in 1965.

How large is the protected area? It covers approximately 5.87 hectares.

At what elevation is Vlčí louka located? The site lies at roughly 1,020 to 1,025 metres above sea level, on the southern slope of Smědavská hora.

What rare species can be found there? Notable species include the round-leaved sundew, cranberry, black grouse, and the common European viper.

Are there other protected areas nearby? Yes, the nature monuments U posedu, Klečové louky and Na kneipě lie in the immediate vicinity, along with the Prales Jizera nature reserve.