The area of the confluence (“soutok” in Czech) of the Morava and Dyje/Thaya Rivers (South Moravia) is unique and extremely valuable for its natural and cultural values on a pan-European scale. It is the largest floodplain forest ecosystem in Central Europe and there are also wetlands protected by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitats (Ramsar Convention). Water, a network of river channels, wetlands, pools, floodplain meadows and floodplain forests play a fundamental role there. The area, with its extraordinary biodiversity, harbours 900 wild vascular plant species and hundreds of rare wild animal species, e.g. the Danube crested newt (Triturus dobrogicus) and the Imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca). The area is now expected to receive full protection and become a protected landscape area with a designation by 1 July 2025. On 15 January 2025, the Government of the Czech Republic approved a decree declaring the Soutok/Confluence Protected Landscape Area (PLA) there.

"Water, a network of river channels, wetlands, pools, floodplain meadows and floodplain forests play a crucial role in the Soutok/Confluence landscape, also known as the Moravian Amazon. The importance of the local forests was confirmed during the September 2024 flood, when the local floodplain forests and meadows captured large amounts of water and thus mitigated the impact of floods further downstream. The confluence of the Morava and the Dyje/Thaya Rivers also provides a unique habitat for hundreds of wild plants, animals and other organisms, e.g. fungi. It is home to 130 specially protected animal species and more than 50 specially protected plant species. It is an internationally important area and wetlands that are protected by the Ramsar Convention are also located there," highlights Mr Petr Hladík (Christian and Democratic Union – Czech People's Party), the Minister of the Environment of the Czech Republic describing the reasons for declaring greater protection for the local landscape.

“The area of the confluence of the Morava and Dyje/Thaya Rivers has been proposed for territorial protection since the mid-20th century. Although it has been damaged by many interventions and disturbances since then, especially by the canalization of the rivers and the change of the water regime as a result of the Nové Mlýny Waterworks construction, it has nevertheless maintained its exceptional natural and cultural values up to now. It is the family´s silver - a phenomenon as important as the Bílé Karpaty/White Carpathian Mts. meadows, the Pálava/Pavlov Hills rocks or the Moravian Karst. The designation of the Soutok PLA pays off one of the biggest debts of nature conservation in the country," says Mr Pavel Pešout, Deputy Director, the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (NCA CR), who is in charge of the preparation of the Soutok PLA.

Improvement of water regime, Slovácké lúky/Moravian Slovakia Meadows and invasive plant eradication.

"The Soutok/Confluence Protected Landscape Area will contribute to the water regime restoration, the Slovácké lúky/Moravian Slovakia Meadows restoration, the eradication of the invasive alien plant Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and facilitate the prevention of mosquito plaques. The local wetlands are of particular importance today, when we increasingly have to deal with droughts and floods. And in both of these cases, the floodplain plays an unmistakable role," added Minister Hladík.

Improvement of the floodplain landscape water regime in the area of the confluence of the Morava and Dyje/Thaya Rivers will be enhanced by the construction of a water barrage element on the Dyje/Thaya River at the Pohansko site and a change in handling at the Nové Mlýny Waterworks. Other suitable measures for the water regime restoration, especially in the Morava River floodplain, are also being identified and will form part of the Management Plan for the Soutok/Confluence PLA. Grassland restoration in the Slovácké lúky/Moravian Slovakia Meadows near the town of Lednice na Moravě is also suggested, including water regime improvement through modification of the existing drainage system. Water from the Černá Dyje/Black Thaya River and Zámecká Dyje/Castle Thaya River or also from the Lednice fishponds has been identified as a possible source.

Mosquito plagues are one of the major problems in coexistence between man and nature in the floodplain landscape. Therefore, the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic is preparing a proposal for financial support from the National Environment Programme (NEP) for the design and development of an integrated system for preventing the plaques in the Soutok/Confluence PLA. The tool shall operate in a similar way to the Litovelské Pomoraví/Litovel Moravia River Basin PLA (Central Moravia) or abroad, but adapted to local specific conditions.

In the Soutok/Confluence PLA, a coordinated procedure will also be implemented for the eradication of the invasive alien plant Common ragweed, one of strongest allergens in the Czech Republic, which has been significantly spreading in the Podluží region in the recent years. Eradication requires a coordinated approach by farmers and road and public greenery managers. The PLA´s designation will not only provide a coordinated approach, but also monitoring the above plant species as well as financial support.

The designation of the Soutok/Confluence PLA will not restrict the lives of local residents.

The PLA´s designation does not impose restrictions on local residents and visitors. No towns, cities or villages are included in the PLA, so their development will not be affected by the designation. "Local stakeholders have been involved in the preparation of the plan to designate the PLA and, based on their comments, the boundaries and conditions of protection/conservation have been adjusted to ensure the best possible management for the preserved natural and cultural heritage, while at the same time not affecting the daily life of local residents. Nearly 300 meetings were held with municipal representatives, local public, farmers, associations and other partners. Cooperation with local governments continues, specifically on the adjustment of the boundaries of the Sites of European Importance (SEI, pursuant to Act No. 114/1992 Gazette on Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection, as amended later, the term for Site of Community Importance, SCI, later Special Areas of Conservation, SAC, under the European Union’s Habitats Directive) and on developing Management Plan for the Specially Protected Area," explains Pavel Pešout, Deputy Director, NCA CR, who also stressed that the designation of the PLA does not entail any restrictions on access, fishing, angling, berry picking, etc. compared to the current situation.

Within the protected landscape area, a visitor centre called the House of Nature of the Soutok/Confluence area is being prepared in cooperation with the town of Břeclav and information points will also be established in other municipalities. The seat of the Soutok/Confluence PLA Administration will be located in the town of Lanžhot in the former school building.

Soutok/Confluence Protected Landscape Area map

The press release issued by the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic.

Photo: Jan Miklín