Exciting news!
ČSO (Czech ornithological society) announced the first successful step in their plan to create their fifth protected bird park. They buy land and rewild it to increase number and diversity of birds. This one will be called Zbudovská Blata - a flat meadows area in Southern Bohemia. (BTW it lies just 1 train stop away from Zoo Hluboká)
A private owner offered 11 hectares of meadows and arrable land for just $170k few days ago but offer was valid only till end of June. ČSO asked members for donations and today already exceeded their target and will sign the contract very soon. Any excess money will purchase more land in the same area.
Zbudovská Blata is an ethnic rural area that used to consist of mostly extensive pastures for cattle and fish ponds. The water table was too high to grow wheat or do other higher productive agriculture. Blata means "swamps" anyway. However, in second half of 20th century, most of the area got drained by underground net of pipelines. Meandring streems got changed into straight and concrete canals. And bird paradise that old locals still can remmember there existed got lost.
Team of ČSO has put among it main target for this area two bird species - Black-tailed Godwit and Eurasian curlew. Both used to breed there in past but today they are extinct as breeding birds in whole country.
Source
And here an example of old village houses in architectornical style called "selské baroko", typical for this area. If you consider flat land ideal for biking, heaps of cute towns and villages, numerous ponds and natural sights, no wonder that Southern Bohemia is the number one destination where Czech tourists spend their prolonged weekends and summer holidays.
ČSO (Czech ornithological society) announced the first successful step in their plan to create their fifth protected bird park. They buy land and rewild it to increase number and diversity of birds. This one will be called Zbudovská Blata - a flat meadows area in Southern Bohemia. (BTW it lies just 1 train stop away from Zoo Hluboká)
A private owner offered 11 hectares of meadows and arrable land for just $170k few days ago but offer was valid only till end of June. ČSO asked members for donations and today already exceeded their target and will sign the contract very soon. Any excess money will purchase more land in the same area.
Zbudovská Blata is an ethnic rural area that used to consist of mostly extensive pastures for cattle and fish ponds. The water table was too high to grow wheat or do other higher productive agriculture. Blata means "swamps" anyway. However, in second half of 20th century, most of the area got drained by underground net of pipelines. Meandring streems got changed into straight and concrete canals. And bird paradise that old locals still can remmember there existed got lost.
Team of ČSO has put among it main target for this area two bird species - Black-tailed Godwit and Eurasian curlew. Both used to breed there in past but today they are extinct as breeding birds in whole country.
Source
And here an example of old village houses in architectornical style called "selské baroko", typical for this area. If you consider flat land ideal for biking, heaps of cute towns and villages, numerous ponds and natural sights, no wonder that Southern Bohemia is the number one destination where Czech tourists spend their prolonged weekends and summer holidays.