Větrníky
Větrníky is a national nature reserve in the east of the Czech Republic . It protects a steppe in the midst of intensively cultivated arable land, which is covered with heat-loving vegetation from the Pontic-Pannonian and sub-Mediterranean types.
The 24.5 hectare reserve is located in the cadastral area of the Letonice commune , Okres Vyškov , South Moravia region , about 25 kilometers east of Brno . The steppe covers a hill that forms the westernmost foothills of the Litenčická pahorkatina (Litentschitz Mountains). The highest point in the protected area is the Větrník hill (394 m nm). The subsoil consists of sediments of the Badenium (gravel, sand), on which predominantly Pararendzina soils have developed. Above all, dry grass and shrubbery grow on them . In the dry grass societies, the pinnate dwarfs dominate , in the bushes dwarf and sour cherries, sloes and privets. 23 protected and 43 endangered plant species are found here, such as the Pulsatilla grandis , the Campanula Cervicaria and the Petite St. John's wort . Insects that live here, such as the two-colored bite insects, are also bound by the steppe conditions.
The steppe in Větrníky is former pastureland . It has been a nature reserve since 1933, making it one of the oldest reserves in the region. Since the steppe vegetation developed on cultivated land and would not survive without human intervention, the areas are mowed and herds of goats and sheep are brought to pasture.
Web links
- cittadella.cz - description of the protected area
- Helena Vaculová: Větrníky na Vyškovsku se stanou přírodní památkou. - iDNES.cz of March 1st, 2009 about the planned downgrading of the reserve
Coordinates: 49 ° 11 ′ 52 ″ N , 16 ° 59 ′ 6 ″ E