Sumava in the Czech Republic refers to the Bohemian Forest. While the forest covers a large area, the part many people are interested in is the national park bearing the same name, the Sumava National Park.
Location
The national park is at the South Bohemian Region and Plzen. The park covers a portion of the mountain range bearing the same name.
What to See
The common otter can be found in the park as well as the pearlshell Margaritifera. The noble crayfish can also be seen in the area. Other fauna are the ground beetle, moorland clouded yellow, backswimmer and the bog fritillary.
Several types of birds exist in the reserve. Among them are the kingfisher, peregrine falcon, lesser spotted eagle, ring ouzel and white-backed woodpecker.
The Sumava National Park also has the northern lynx, one of the biggest predators in the European continent. There are also several deer in the forest.
History
A landscape protected area was proclaimed in the area on December 27, 1961. In March 1991 however, the most important sectors were declared a national park. The protected area not included now
functions as a buffer.
The general consensus is that the Celts were the earliest inhabitants in the region. The Celts disappeared sometime in the late AD years. Why they disappeared is unknown. Primeval forests were still covering the area up to the 15th century. By the 1500s however, habitation of the place began.
Most of the inhabited parts were in the northeast and north sections. It was during the early 1500s that the major towns and villages were established. Human activities nearly decimated the forest in the 17th and 18th centuries. But the conservation efforts today are paying off.
Cost
Airfares cost about 1044.11 USD if coming from New York. The cost from other states in the US will be similar. A 4 star hotel costs about 136.14 USD while a hostel comes up to 11.87 USD.
Other Info
The forest is mostly of the wood and vegetation kind. At the mountainous sector, there is spruce and beech vegetation. There are also some bilberry, gravel bind, haircap moss and peat moss in the area.
The geological makeup of the area has limited the flower variants. At the upper level is the dwarf birch and the quillwort Isoetes Iacustris.
The Sumava National Park has numerous springs and rivers. Some of the rivers are the Kremelna, Vydra and the Vltava. There are also some glacial lakes in the reserve.
