- Address: Česko
- Area: about 71.5 thousand hectares
- Date of foundation: 1980.
The White Carpathians is a national biosphere reserve in the Czech Republic , on the border with Slovakia. This is one of the most picturesque reserves of the country. It occupies about 715 square meters. km and stretches from the town of Straznice in the south-west to the Lysky pass in the north-east. The length of the reserve's mountain range is about 80 km. His fame was brought by the fact that several disappearing ecosystems have been preserved intact here. The White Carpathians is a reserve since November 3, 1980, and in 1996 it was listed in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.
Flora of the White Carpathians
The vegetation world of the reserve is striking in its diversity. Most of the territory of the White Carpathians is covered with forests, where you can see such trees as:
- beech;
- oak;
- maple;
- Birch;
- Pine;
- fir;
- alder;
- yew;
- ash;
- hornbeam.
In total, more than 2,000 species of plants grow here, 44 of which are endangered species, including plants such as the Orchis, which grows here several species, and rare orchid varieties - their species diversity is the largest in Central Europe. Some species of orchids grow exclusively in the White Carpathians.
Can the biosphere reserve boast of exotic plants - for example, here grow:
- sakura;
- Chinese magnolia;
- a wig tree;
- apple tree of Niedzwiecki;
- paulownia fluffy;
- Catalpa, also known as a cigar (this plant is characteristic of Japan , China and North America);
- Japanese quince;
- cypress;
- Himalayan pine;
- boxwood.
This species diversity is due to the diversity of soils, the composition of which is unique in its kind.
Cities of the protected area
Within the protected area are settlements such as Uhersky Brod, Uhersky-Gradishte, Hodonin, and beyond, but very close to Zlín. In these cities you can find where to stay overnight and where to eat. In addition, nearby are located resorts that offer treatment with mineral waters and mud.
Activities and attractions
The nature reserve offers an extensive network of tourist attractions:
- The most popular hiking trails lead to the top of Velika Jaworzyn, the highest point of the White Carpathians (its height is 970 m). From the top there is a beautiful panorama of the Moravian and Slovak outback, a view of the beech forest, many of whose trees have reached 100 years of age.
- Hiking trails lead to interesting sights . For example, in Velkém Lopenik and Travichna there are observation towers, and in Bojkovice you can see a real castle in the Neo-Gothic style - Nowy Svetlov. Another castle is located in Brumov; it was built in the Romanesque style, but has survived to the present day in a ruinized state.
- In the village of Kuzhelov you can see a windmill in good condition, in Stražnice tourists are waiting for an open-air museum, and churches are worth visiting in Vláchovice and Velké nad Velice. There are also 3 scientific and excursion routes - Shumarnytska, Jaworzynska, Lopenik - which can be visited with a guide.
- Many bicycle routes , for example - along the banks of the channel named Bati, connecting Hodonin and Kromeriz. You can also go along the Beskydy-Carpathian highway. The most visited places of the Reserve of the White Carpathians are Mount Velki Lopenik, Mount Cherveny Kamen and Vrsatelsky cliff.
- Water tourism : the White Carpathians offer water hiking and rafting. Lovers of the same peaceful pastime can come here for fishing .
- In winter time , lovers of snowboarding and alpine skiing come to the reserve with pleasure, which are expected by a variety of difficult routes and long flat routes, as well as numerous rental points.
How to get to the White Carpathian Reserve?
Driving to Uherske-Hradiste from Prague by car can be 3 hours for D1 or 3 hours 20 minutes. - on D1 and E65, by buses Leo Express, Flix Bus or Regio Jet (in the last two versions - with a transfer to Brno ). The road to Uherske Brod from Prague takes about 3 hours 7 min. on D1 and 3 hours 17 minutes. on D1 and D55. The bus Leo Express can be reached in 4 hours 7 minutes. The fastest way is to get to Hodonín - the road by car from the capital will take 2 hours 40 minutes, the bus with a transfer to Brno can be reached in 5 hours 15 minutes.