Czech conservationists secure regional seed rights and new nature reserve status

Conservation efforts in the Czech Republic have reached two significant milestones regarding biodiversity and habitat protection.

The conservation organization Česká krajina has received official authorization from the Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture to collect and produce a regional seed mix from the Milovice large ungulate reserve. This is the first regional seed mix in the Central Bohemian region and only the third officially registered in the country. The mix aims to restore species-rich meadows and pastures in the Polabí lowland, which have seen declining biodiversity due to intensive agriculture and neglect.

Separately, the Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection of the Czech Republic has declared the Číhanské slatě a new nature reserve near Mariánské Lázně. Spanning 6.38 hectares within the Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area, the reserve protects rare mineral water springs and peat meadows. These springs are considered a rarity in Central Europe, offering a unique look at natural mineral outflows undisturbed by commercial extraction. The area hosts rare species, including the algae Pinnularia ferrophila and various specialized plants and animals.