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The Beskydy Protected Landscape Area {PLA}, our largest protected territory, was declared in 1973 with an area of 1160 km2 made up of parts of the Vsetin, Novy Jicin and Frydek - Mistek counties. Its importance is underlined by the announcement of 44 specially protected territories of which 7 are in the category of national nature reserve.

The geological basis of the bedrock is the flysch zone of the Western Carpathians characterized by alternating mudstones, siltstones and puddingstone. The geological movements of the Alpine Fold formed the flysch into outcrops, which are the basis for today's mountain ranges the Moravosilesian Beskyd, the Vsetin hights and the Javorniks, separated by deep river valleys.
The pseudokarst caves are a unique geomorphologic feature in the Czech Republic {CR}.

Tree felling and slash and burning up to the Beskyd's peak, in connection with sheep herding were the main causes of the arise of meadows and pastures. The picturesque landscape was sensitively enhanced through the vernacular architecture of Valach and Goralsk7 cottages. About 71% of the area is forested. At higher elevations we meet with the remains of the original mountain spruce and fir-beech with sycamore and ash. At lower elevations there is beech wood and the remnants of the Silesian hornbeam forests with scattered limes, birch and elm. The planting of spruce monocultures significantly changed the forest species composition. To protect the rest of the Carpathian fir-beech ancient forest the National Nature Reserves {NNR} of Mionsi, Salajka and Razula were declared. The climax spruce forest is protected in the NNR Mazak and Knehyne-Certuv Mill. The forest growth on the central levels, with their bizarre sandstone cliffs, is protected by the NPR Pulcin-Hradisko.

The Beskyd's vegetation is made up of typical Carpathian species and their communities. In the mountain meadows and wetlands there are numerous protected and endangered plant species such as Cyanus mollis, early purple and burnt-tip orchids, Gladiolus imbricatus, elder-flower orchid, Turk's cap lily, round-leaved sundew and water arum.

The animal species, which in the framework of the CR are only found in the area of Eastern Moravia are the common wolf, brown bear, Carpathian newt, Siberian bullhead Cottus poecilopus and pustik belavy. Other rare species found here are the northern lynx, common otter, northern birch mouse, capercaillie, white ringed woodpecker, black stork, boreal owl, corncrake and the adder.

The rivers and their formation are another characteristic element of this area. The local type of wild gravel bearing courses, to which the disappearing animal and plant species are dependent, are unique in the CR.

The PLA is also covered as a protected area for natural water accumulation and is one of the most important supplies of quality drinking water in the Czech Republic.

Recently there has been a greater disturbance to natural balance and insensitive interventions on the nature and landscape of the Beskyd. For example the high percentage of spruce in the forest growth, insensitive river alterations, the urbanization of the countryside, unsuitable recreational activities and the threat of losing the area's characteristic landscape features due to the decline in farming.

The territory's administration is certified as the
"The Beskydy Protected Landscape Area Management" {Sprava chranene krajinne oblasti Beskydy}
located in Roznov pod Radhostem, Nádražní 36, 756 61 Roznov pod Radhostem
phone: +420 571 654 293 o fax: +420 571 657 407
email: beskydy@schkocr.cz o www.schkocr.cz

Some pictures: