Visited:31. 9. 2021
History:Želinský meandr is a natural monument and a site of European importance east of the town of Kadaň in the Chomutov district. The subject of protection is the valley of the Ohře River. Here the river is deeply cut into the valley, where it has formed a rocky meander, which represents the last example of the original character of the river in its middle course. There is an extraordinary diversity of species throughout the valley due to the significantly different effects of various ecological factors. There are various natural habitats such as muddy river banks, European dry heaths or continental scrub, which are inhabited by a number of specially protected or endangered species of plants and animals. In the past, much of the area was used as grazing land for cattle. Grazing maintained the treelessness and affected the forest undergrowth. Excessive grazing has degraded the grassland to marshland or areas of sparse vegetation. Since the 20th century, a small hydroelectric power plant, Želina, has been located in the protected area, but it does not significantly affect the site. A small spur of the protected area in the south-eastern part extends into the area of the prehistoric Hradec hillfort. The protected area was first declared by the Chomutov District Office on 28 May 1992 in the category of protected natural features. It was declared a natural monument for the second time on 1 November 2013 by the Regional Authority of the Ústí nad Labem Region. It is registered in the Central List of Nature Protection under the number 1534. The protected area measures 185.7982 hectares and is located at an altitude of 275-331 metres in the cadastral areas of Kadaň, Rokle and Tušimice. Of the total area, the Ohře riverbed occupies 82.2 hectares, forests about 56 hectares, permanent grassland eighteen hectares, less than three hectares are arable land and the rest are other areas, the largest of which is barren land with an area of 26 hectares. Approximately six hectares of the natural monument overlap with the Nechranice reservoir bird area. According to the biogeographical division, Želinský meander falls within the Doupovský bioregion. The forests around Kadana are very reduced and have been preserved mainly on sloping sites that are not suitable for cultivation. The oak woodland is very well preserved, but more than 30 % of the forest cover consists of non-native species. A large proportion of these are Pinus strobus, Robinia pseudoacacia and Pinus nigra. Due to the diversity of ecosystems, many species of animals live here. Among the invertebrate species protected by the Decree, the slave ant (Formica fusca), the ant Formica rufibarbis, and the ant Formica cunicularia occur scattered or sporadically, the variable bumblebee (Bombus humilis), the hawk bumblebee (Bombus lucorum), the foxglove lichen (Hyles euphorbiae) or the marigold (Watsonarctia casta), and the broomtail (Hipparchia semele). The valley, including the riverbed, is an important refuge for birds. The critically endangered great crested grebe (Mergus merganser), the sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and the river eagle (Pandion haliaetus) have been recorded at the site in numbers of individuals. From the endangered to highly endangered species, the northern goshawk (Bucephala clangula), goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), common nettle (Anas strepera), cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), common raven (Accipiter nisus) occur in Želinský meander, great cormorant (Corvus corax), river kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), grey wagtail (Muscicapa striata), common pipit (Actitis hypoleucos), little grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis), great horned grebes (Podiceps cristatus) and woodland bee-eaters (Pernis apivorus). The common swift (Apus apus), the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and the common swallow (Hirundo rustica) have been observed in larger numbers (in the low teens). The common swift and the swallow only fly into the protected area. Among other animals, there is a significant population of hundreds of specimens of the critically endangered green lizard (Lacerta viridis) and the subflooded lizard (Natrix tessellata), whose local population forms an isolated north-western enclave of the species. Less endangered species include the common hen harrier (Anguis fragilis), the smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), the common squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and occasionally the river otter (Lutra lutra).
Source:https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDelinsk%C3%BD_meander
Impressions:It is a beautiful natural monument dominated by massive rocks above the river.
