Milovice - Mladá
The National Natural Monument Mladá, located within a former military training area, represents the largest continuous complex of dry grasslands and forest-steppe habitats in the Czech Republic. Military disturbances on sandy soils and marls shaped a unique habitat mosaic, including open sand grasslands, dry heaths, and acidophilous oak forests. The site shelters highly specialized flora - such as Gentiana cruciata - alongside rare fauna, including the butterfly Phengaris alcon f. rebeli or Amphimallon ruficorne and crustaceans (Triops cancriformis, Branchipus schaefferi) inhabiting temporary pools formed by military vehicles.
Threats to the Site
While the former military use unintentionally helped preserve the site's ecological integrity, natural succession now poses the main threat, leading to dense vegetation and the sprouting of birch (Betula pendula) and pine (Pinus sylvestris). Although large herbivores currently graze degraded grasslands, targeted conservation efforts for open sand vegetation have been lacking.
Site Management
Restoration plans focus on creating open patches for psammophilous species. Actions include shrub and tree removal, regular mowing (or sheep grazing where feasible) to suppress competitive plants and mechanical topsoil removal to expose bare sand. Additionally, Jurinea cyanoides will be included as a target species for conservation and reintroduced using 1 500 seeds and 200 juvenile plants from German or Ukrainian populations.
Map
Partners
Financing
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.