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Wildflower-rich alpine meadows

Wildflower-rich alpine meadows are species-rich meadows in the alpine and lower alpine zones of the Krkonoše Mountains. They were mainly created during the herdsman huts style of farming era in the 17th-19th centuries. The highlanders regularly mowed them, grazed cows, goats or horses on them, and fertilised the meadows from time to time.

Rozkvetlá louka na enklávě Medvědí Boudy
Rozkvetlá louka na enklávě Medvědí Boudy

They contribute significantly to the overall biodiversity of the Krkonoše nature. They are a refuge for a number of now rare and protected plants: the Sudeten violet, the endemic Bohemian bellflower, milkweed gentian, purple hawkweed, golden cinquefoil, alpine avens, mountain hawk´s beard, frog orchid, fragrant orchid and the small white orchid. They are home to outstanding animal species: satyr butterfly, arran brown, Carabus coriaceus Linne, Ctenicera cuprea, Isophya pyrenea, viviparous lizard, the common rosefinch, and the whinchat. Remains of wildflower meadows can be found, for example, in the enclaves Severka, Zadní Rennerovky, in Modrý Důl and Obří Důl, in Rýchory, in Svatý Petr.