Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area, Protected landscape area in the Hrubý Jeseník mountains, Olomouc Region, Czech Republic
Landschaftsschutzpark Gesenke is a mountain landscape in the Olomouc Region characterized by dense forests, alpine meadows, and numerous mineral springs. The area spans varied elevations with different natural habitats that support diverse plant and animal communities.
The area was established by decree of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Culture (No. 9886/69-II/2) on 19 June 1969, under the 1956 state nature protection law, and the decree took effect on 25 July 1969. The founding decree set the area at 740 km²; the administration later based in Jeseník now reports 744 km².
The park's mission includes protecting folk architecture, and the wooden buildings of villages such as Karlova Studánka survive within its bounds. The mineral springs that fed several spa resorts—Karlova Studánka, Jeseník, Lipová-lázně and Velké Losiny—shaped settlement here. Old ore-mining tunnels now serve as winter roosts for bats.
The area spans elevations from 314 m to 1,492 m at the summit of Praděd, so trails range from valley walks to high-ground routes. The CHKO administration is based in Jeseník, and spa towns such as Karlova Studánka and Velké Losiny lie in or beside the protected area.
The Jeseníky endemics include Poa riphaea, which grows only on the summit rocks of Praděd, and Campanula gelida, restricted to the Velká kotlina cirque. Of 135 specially protected vascular plant species recorded since surveys began in the early 19th century, 113 are still known and 22 are considered missing or extinct here.
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