Hraniční meandry Odry, Natural monument at Czech-Polish border near Bohumín, Czech Republic.
Hraniční meandry Odry is a protected stretch of the unregulated Odra between the former Chałupki–Bogumín border crossing and the mouth of the Olza, about 7 km long with five bends. It covers 126.36 ha in Stary Bohumín and Šunychl, at 193–198 m above sea level, and takes in floodplain forests and dikes as well as the river.
The Moravian-Silesian regional authorities gave this area protected status in November 2006 following joint efforts between Czech and Polish conservation groups. The designation recognized the importance of this cross-border natural landscape.
The name refers to the meanders that form the state border: the centres of the five bends mark the Czech-Polish line. The area lies in the Bohumín districts of Starý Bohumín and Šunychl (Kopytov), and an educational trail is planned there.
The protected section runs about 7 km from the former Chałupki–Bogumín border crossing south to the mouth of the Olza. The meandering stretch is 7.5 km long with five bends, and the riverbed shifts, so follow marked paths. An educational trail is planned; annual upkeep costs 50,000 Czech korunas.
The unregulated river flow causes natural shifts in the channel that gradually move the international border between Czech Republic and Poland. This process makes the place a living example of nature reshaping boundaries over time.
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