The Masaryk Forest School Enterprise Křtiny (ŠLP Křtiny) will begin logging work in the Zaječí Potok valley in Vranov forest later this month. The logging will affect more than 1,000 old and drying trees, the removal of which is the first step towards the gradual conversion to a recreational forest. The local stream and three ponds will also undergo revitalization.
The area on the northern outskirts of Brno is frequented by tourists and also partly used for allotments, and ŠLP Křtiny therefore asked the City of Brno to issue a general measure banning entry into the forest during the most intensive work period, from 14 February to 31 March 2025.
“The age of the stands in the Zaječí Potok valley ranges from 80 to 150 years,” explained Ivo Březina, head of the Vranov forest district. “These are mainly oak stands, which we have not interfered with for several decades. Because of past disasters and increased drought, the drying crowns are visible to the naked eye.“
Březina added that the risk to visitors will be high during the works, as heavy machinery will be moving on the roads. “People who own a garden in the affected area will not be able to drive to it or walk along the forest path leading through the valley, as they are used to,” he said. “Access will only be possible to a limited extent via Kysela hora.”
The mining work will take place on both sides of the slope from north to south, from the U Topolu meadow through the entire valley towards Sadová in Brno-Královo Pole, a total of about 30 hectares.
Healthy, mature trees with sprawling crowns will be retained, but the forest will become sparser in the future so that visitors can comfortably walk among the trees, play sports, or use the area to sit and relax. The company does not plan to carry out extensive planting, but will follow the path of natural regeneration, regulated only in order to preserve the character of a recreational forest, with the support of diverse mixtures of trees with an emphasis on deciduous species.
The valley is dominated by a stream and ponds, which will gradually undergo revitalization. “The ponds here, fed by water from the Zaječí Potok, are currently silted up,” said Březina. “Atelier Fontes s.r.o. and Agroprojekt PSO s.r.o. have prepared a project that includes silting, improvement of the dams and the area around the banks. As for the water area, the result will be a combination of a pond and a wetland, so that in the future they will fulfill the function of retaining water, contribute to the diversity of the water environment, and complete the pleasant atmosphere of the place.”
The company does not plan to equip the site with sports and recreational installations or park benches. Suitable robust logs, some of which will remain in place after logging, will serve as seating.
