FORESTS IN CZECH REPUBLIC,    FORESTS IN EUROPE

The species and spatial composition of Czech forests was altered in the past in effort to increase timber production and to satisfy the demand for the most frequently required tree species, which resulted in the today’s greater share of coniferous (76 %) than broadleaved (24 %) species.
Forests represent natural communities with a great species diversity.  Even the poorest forest is home to thousands of animal species. This means that forests house an enormous number of animals. These are adapted to lives both on the surface and inside tree trunks, in tree blossoms, fruit or in treetops.

Typical fauna of the Czech forests

The most common animals in Czech forest are red deer, roe deer, wild boar, sika deer, fallow deer, mouflons, wild boar, fox, brown hare, and pheasant.

Red deer  (www.mezistromy.cz)

Roe deer (www.mezistromy.cz)

Sika deer (www.mezistromy.cz)

 Wild boar  (www.mezistromy.cz)

 

Hare (www.mezistromy.cz)

Exceptional fauna in the Czech forests

We can for example mention:

capercaillie = wood grouse (Tetrao urogallus L.) – (www.mezistromy.cz)

 

black grouse = heathcock (Lyrurus tetrix L.) - (www.mezistromy.cz)

These two bird species we can observe in National park Šumava:

 
wolf  (Canis lupus L.) – (www.mezistromy.cz)

brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) - (www.mezistromy.cz)
 

Wolf and bear are protected species with priority consideration in Natura 2000 SPA Beskydy Mts. in the North East part of the Czech Republic near Slovakian borders.

 
Typical flora in the Czech forests

(1)    Acidic sites

Pine stand with blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) – (UHUL Plzeň archive) 

blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) – (www.mezistromy)

(2)    Fertile sites

 

woodruff (Galium odoratum) – (www.mezistromy.cz)