Slavkovský les establishes new nature reserve to protect mineral springs

The Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic has declared the Číhanské slatě a new nature reserve within the Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area. Spanning 6.38 hectares, the reserve protects the most well-preserved natural mineral water springs in the Czech Republic, along with surrounding peat bogs and wetland meadows.

Located in the Lužní potok valley near Teplá, the site offers a rare look at how mineral springs function without human extraction or industrial spa use. The area hosts unique biodiversity, including the rare diatom Pinnularia ferrophila, as well as various rare plants and animals like the Otavá dragonfly. The peat bogs, which in some places reach a thickness of eight meters, contain pollen and organic remains that allow scientists to study vegetation and landscape changes dating back 13,000 years. The area remains open to the public, though management will include active measures such as manual mowing to maintain species richness.