PRESS RELEASE
Solvay Quarry on Ještěd Ridge – A Journey from Mining to Nature
Křižany, 15 June 2017: Inquisitive tourists and well-informed locals may already have noticed that a new signpost has recently sprung up above the Křižany train station, along the trail to St. Christopher's Chapel, to show the way to the Solvay Quarry – a limestone quarry that has long been forgotten by most. This has changed thanks to the loving care of the Czech Union for Nature Conservation and the considerable support from the NET4GAS Closer to Nature programme: the site is newly accessible to the general public, and if you decide to hit the trail, you will have the opportunity to discover the colourful history and the current natural and geological wealth of a truly magical place. Once you have scaled the hillside of the quarry, you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. The Solvay Quarry was still in operation into the 1920s, producing one of the raw materials for soda ash on three benches, from where the limestone was transported via ropeways to freight cars at the nearby train station. The quarry also unearthed a number of karst caves, among them the 'Robber's Lair'. Over the course of almost 100 years, nature recaptured the space of the quarry and gave rise to a valuable community of species. One of several local chapters of the Czech Union for Nature Conservation (ČSOP) in Liberec decided to draw attention to this intriguing site of nature. Under the auspices of the NET4GAS Closer to Nature programme, the conservationists created a new destination for hikers and day-trippers, with several info panels, a lookout point and a seating area. "The goal is to show visitors the enormous environmental value of this space, and to highlight how even a man-made industrial site such as an open-pit mine can over time add to, and enrich, the natural world," says Daniel Horáček of the ČSOP. After taking in the gorgeous vistas of open land, which you can enjoy from a comfortable resting area, it pays to take a closer look at the rare plant life that can be found here. At press time, for instance, the orchid known as Dark-red Helleborine is blooming; in fall, the Fringe-flowered Gentian commands your attention. Come here in the evening and you might get lucky and have the opportunity to see bats as they emerge from their hiding places inside the caves. Ten different species of these flying insectivorous mammals have been recorded at this site. How to get to the Solvay Quarry? There are several options, of which we'll present one: if you follow the green hiking trail from the Křižany train station in the direction of Kryštofovo Údolí, you will come upon a fork in the trail after about 1.2 km, where the yellow trail breaks away. From here, it is only a few dozen meters on the yellow trail until you arrive at your destination. To find out more, visit www.blizprirode.cz.
PRESS RELEASE Contact Details: Kateřina Adámková Zuzana Kučerová Office of ČSOP Executive Council NET4GAS, s.r.o. T: 731 760 872 T: 739 537 273 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]
The Czech Union for Nature Conservation is a group of people who love nature and share an active interest in nature conservation. It currently has close to 7,000 members, some of whom hail from the ranks of professional naturalists, but others are enthusiastic volunteers, while some are adults and others are children. Everyone can help. Do you love nature? Then join us! For more information, visit www.csop.cz.
NET4GAS is both a reliable and safe gas transmission system operator, and at the same time pursues a responsible policy aimed at protecting nature and the environment with respect to current and future generations. This principle not only underlies the company’s responsible entrepreneurship, but is also the basis for its long-term strategy of corporate philanthropy and sponsorship, which has been implemented under the programme NET4GAS Closer to Nature since 2007. NET4GAS is a long- term general partner of the Czech Union for Nature Conservation, supporting restoration and openings of valuable natural sites to the public, and national environmental competitions Golden Leaf and Ecological Olympiad, organized by the Association of young conservationists of the ČSOP. More information about the program and locations made accessible can be found at www.blizprirode.cz.
PRESS RELEASE
Overview of the 82 sites opened to the public by Czech Union for Nature Conservation under the NET4GAS Closer to Nature programme
2007 Kudlačena, Horní Bečva / Vsetín NT Klíč Valley, Svor / Česká Lípa Podlešák's Elm, Vimperk-Boubská / Prachatice NT Hloučela Biocorridor, Prostějov Above the River, Bečov nad Teplou / Karlovy Vary Opičák, Liberec Jelenice, Pozořice / Brno-venkov Myslík Quarry, Myslík / Frýdek-Místek 2010 NT Milovice Observation Post, Milovice / Nymburk Choryn Wetland Nature Reserve, Lešná / Valašské Meziříčí NT Water World, Lesná / Domažlice 2008 Poustka, Pozořice / Brno-venkov NT Footpaths in the Beskid Foothills, Kunčice pod Skalka Nature Reserve, Kunčice pod Ondřejníkem / Ondřejníkem / Frýdek-Místek Frýdek-Místek NT A Forest Full of Senses, Krásná Lípa / Děčín NT Sudslavice Circuit, Vimperk / Prachatice NT Bludov Hillside, Bludov / Šumperk Žák's Hill National Nature Reserve, Cikháj / Žďár NT Vinoř Park – Satalice Pheasantry, Praha-Vinoř nad Sázavou Golden Hill, Bečov nad Teplou / Karlovy Vary Moses Spring - Emperor's Stone, Vesec / Liberec Kamenec, Kamenec u Radnic / Rokycany Semanín Trail, Semanín / Ústí nad Orlicí NT Zvole Hummock, Zvole u Prahy NT Fryšták, Fryšták / Zlín Salamander Spring, Myslík / Frýdek-Místek 2011 NT Velký Košíř, Litomyšl / Svitavy NT Na cvičišti - At the Training Ground, Valašské NT Mnichov Serpentinite, Prameny / Cheb Meziříčí / Vsetín NT Hasina Valley, Lipno / Louny Střelenská Meadow, Střelná / Teplice Chlum Quarry, Srbsko / Beroun Capartice Meadows, Capartice / Domažlice Mokroš Biocentre, Mořice / Prostějov Chlum Mountain Nature Reserve, Chlum / Karlovy NT Zahrady, Český Brod / Kolín Vary Blahutovice Observation Post, Blahutovice / Nový Manor Rock Natural Monument, Habrovany / Jičín Vyškov NT Votočnice, Sázava / Benešov NT Around Vřesina, Vřesina / Opava NT Saint Vitus Guild, Trstěnice / Cheb
2009 Rezavka, Ostrava 2012 Štěpán Nature Reserve, Děhylov / Ostrava Litovice Pond Bird-Watching Spot, Litovice / Praha- NT Medník, Hradišťko / Praha-západ západ Vladař Mountain, Vladořice / Karlovy Vary Kolo Wetland, Slavkov / Uherské Hradiště NT Podkovák, Lesná / Tachov NT Vidžín - Telecí potok, Vidžín / Plzeň-sever
PRESS RELEASE NT Housle, Praha-Lysolaje NT Through landscape of floods, Jeseník nad Odrou Pančava, Pozořice / Slavkov / Nový Jičín NT Mýto, Nedvězí / Prague NT Hády Quarries and Surroundings / Brno Bohumilice Avenue, Bohumilice / Prachatice Ořešník, Hejnice / Liberec NT Heřmanice Pond, Heřmanice / Ostrava 2015 NT Vesec Valley, Liberec NT Choryně Sentinel, Vsetín 2013 Kozmice Bird Meadows, Opava Lačnov Crocuses, Lačnov / Vsetín Shooting Range Trail, Děčín NT Umíř, Plachtín / Plzeň-sever Velká Homolka, Vimperk / Prachatice NT Pňov Mead, Pňov-Předhradí / Kolín Valley of the Springs, Prague NT St. John's Rapids, Štěchovice / Praha-západ Třemešské rybníky Bird-Watching Spot, Dolní Studénky / Šumperk 2016 Path to Sulphurous Springs, Zádveřice / Zlín Jinošov Quarry, Vlašim / Benešov Olešná Brook, Němčovice / Rokycany Trip around the World, Třeboň / Jindřichův Hradec Hruboskalsko, Karlovice / Semily 2014 Dry Feet through Water, Pasíčka / Chrudim NT Libušín Fortification, Libušín / Kladno Lušová Valley, Lušová / Vsetín 2017 NT Zásmuky Pheasantry, Zásmuky / Kolín 'Dolní rybník' Ornithological Lookout Platform, Canopy Road Beneath Hořínkova Forester's Lodge, Svitavy Buchlovice / Uherské Hradiště Solvay Quarry, Ještěd Ridge / Liberec NT Chlum, Nepřevázka, Mladá Boleslav
NT = nature trail Find more information at www.blizprirode.cz