This year there will be two field trip options. Full day trip to Litvínov, Czech State Forests, or half day trip to Stromovka Park, City of Prague Forest.
Field trip 1: Czech State Forests – Litvínov Forest Administration
Location: Litvínov, Czech State Forests Administration
Date and Time: September 19, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Transport: Bus
Departure from the Czech University of Life Sciences, there will be stops in Prague at selected hotels along the way.
Overview:
The primary mission of Lesy České republiky (Czech State Forests) is to manage over 1.2 million hectares of state-owned forests, which account for approximately 45% of all forests in the Czech Republic. The Litvínov Forest Administration covers an area of roughly 22,000 hectares in the eastern part of the Krušné hory (Ore Mountains). The landscape is characterized by steep southeast-facing slopes and a gently rolling plateau at an elevation of approximately 800 meters above sea level.
Since the early days of industrialization in the foothills of the Ore Mountains, the entire region has been severely affected by industrial air pollution. As a result, widespread damage and gradual dieback of Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands led to the clear-cutting of around 80% of their total volume in the 1980s. Large-scale clearings caused by pollution-related calamities were reforested with substitute tree species, selected for their pioneering nature, soil-improving properties, and resistance to industrial pollutants. The dominant species used in reforestation included blue spruce (Picea pungens) and larch (Larix spp.), alongside deciduous species such as birch (Betula spp.), alder (Alnus spp.), and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia).
Tentative Program:
- Transformation of substitute tree species stands after the late 20th-century pollution crisis
- Gemmamyces piceae – occurrence in substitute tree species stands and on Norway spruce (Picea abies)
- Cryptostroma corticale and Chalara fraxinea – infection progression across different forest vegetation zones
- Status of beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands along the Ore Mountain fault zone – aging forests at their physiological limits, vitality assessment, and potential threats
- Forest restructuring along the Ore Mountain fault zone – enhancing biodiversity and increasing resilience to climate change impacts
- Visit to a second-generation seed orchard of Wych elm (Ulmus glabra) and its reintroduction into forest stands
Along the way it is possible to stop at the Jezeří state castle, where there is an impressive view on the open-pit brown coal quarry
Field trip 2: City of Prague Forest – Stromovka Park
Location: Royal Game Reserve Stromovka, Prague
Date and Time: September 19, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM
meeting point in the park, the exact GPS position will be specified to participants after registration
Transport: Not provided/needed (public transport available – tram stop Výstaviště)Overview:
The Royal Game Reserve (commonly known as Stromovka) is one of Prague’s largest, most significant, and most visited parks. Originally established as a game reserve, it was transformed into a public park in the 19th century and officially opened to the public in 1804. Covering an area of over 90 hectares, Stromovka features a diverse landscape of meadows, tree stands, and paved pathways, offering extensive opportunities for recreation. A prominent feature of the park is a system of ponds, surrounded by wetland alder forests and willow shrub communities. The park also contains a rich variety of tree groupings and avenues, composed of both native and exotic tree species. Since 1988, Stromovka has been designated a protected natural monument. The park supports a diverse range of riparian and aquatic vegetation, while its old and habitat trees provide refuge for numerous species of invertebrates, birds, and bats.Tentative Program:
- Tour of the park’s most significant locations and landscape features
- Urban arboriculture – introduction to the specific challenges of tree care in urban forestry
- Green space management – demonstration of routine park maintenance and landscape care
- Biodiversity in urban parks – role of parks in supporting insects, birds, and other wildlife
This half-day excursion is particularly suitable for participants who plan to depart from Prague on Friday.