Spindleruv Mlyn, East Bohemia, Sept 16 (CTK) – The Life Corcontica project helped revitalise mountain meadows in the Krkonose (Giant Mountains) National Park (KRNAP) in the past six years, joined by 48 local farmers and involving 490 hectares of meadows, KRNAP Management spokesman Radek Drahny has told media.
The project’s overall costs reached 90 million crowns, he said.
It included dozens of activities in support of the prosperity of meadows.
“We renewed the farming on 360 hectares. On further 130 hectares, which were in farmers’ care, we took measures to boost the meadow blossoming,” Drahny said.
He said the farming process has also been renewed in the country’s highest-altitude meadows around the Ruzohorky and Zadni Rennerovky chalets, 1240 and 1250 metres above the sea, respectively.
The revitalisation required the removal of 40 hectares of undesired trees and bushes and 50 hectares of invasive plants.
“The meadows are now ready for animal grazing and some also for mowers. In addition, about 30 hectares have been sensitively fertilised. New equipment has been bought to support the reintroduced farming,” Drahny said.
The project also provided for the establishment of Krkonose farming paths to interconnect rare meadows, farmers and visitors. On a walk in meadows, the visitors can buy products from local farmers.
Third, Life Corcontica strived to save an endangered fish species, the European bullhead.
“We facilitated its access to more than five kilometres of streams and arranged them for the fish to be able to migrate,” Drahny said.
A special attention was paid to Gentianella praecox subspecies bohemica, a strictly protected plant that occurs on only two places in Krkonose, the Czech highest mountain range.