Polom

A mysterious forest area in the Iron Mountains with the remnants of the so-called primeval forest, the original forest stand, in two localities, through a larger protected area, through a marked tourist route of the Czech Tourists' Club. If we want to create an idea of ​​what it looks like in the so-called rainforest, this place is convenient for this, best accessible along the tourist route from the settlement Hluboká (part of Trhová Kamenice), going downhill or in the opposite direction from the village Horní Bradlo (with greater transport services). Polom Nature Reserve is a specially protected area with a total area of ​​20.24 ha in two separate localities typical of the so-called rainforest, including a protection zone on an area of ​​55.16 ha and in the range of 545 to 625 m above sea level in the Iron Mountains natural area. Within the administrative framework, it is situated in the cadastral area of ​​Velká Střítež (part of the municipality of Horní Bradlo) in the Pardubice Region in the Czech Republic. The entire area of ​​the nature reserve, one of the oldest in the Czech Republic, has been covered by the Železná hora Protected Landscape Area since 1991. The protection of the forest area of ​​the beech-beech forest with the remnants of the so-called rainforest was already declared in the former Czechoslovakia by the Decree of the Ministry of Education and National Enlightenment of 31 December 1933. The nature protection included a mixed forest stand with a significant population of fir, beech, oak, pine, hornbeam and alder, which were already excluded from the economic plan of forest logging, originally in the extent of 28.55 ha called Polom u Velké Stříteže in the then political district of Chrudim. Massive fir trees were known in the locality, the largest of which was called Queen, with a trunk with a diameter of 135 cm, a circumference of 5.8 m and a height of 46 m, about 42.74 m3 it was removed (in the forest area it is reminiscent of the locality U staré královny). Most of the original firs died out during the 20th century, mainly due to acid rains in the 1970s and 1980s. The forest stand in both localities is left to spontaneous development, the modifications are made only necessary for the safety of the tourist route, even so in some sections the feasibility is more demanding than in the usual commercial forest. In terms of regional geomorphological division of the Czech Republic, the nature reserve is located on the northwestern to western slopes of the ridge with a peak with the geographical name Polom (649 m) in the geomorphological district Kameničská vrchovina, which is a compositional part of the Seč Highlands (geomorphological subunit) (geomorphological unit). From the route it is possible to see in the locality Na šiškách on the slope under the shelter a water spring called V Polomi, it is part of the spring of the nameless stream with the local name Polomka (it can be seen at the entrance to the PR from Malá Střítež), in front of Horní Bradl is a left tributary . In the nature reserve we find the so-called den trees, which allow shelter, nesting and food options for many species of birds and the environment for many species of insects. Groups of the original population of beeches, maples and firs are in some places protected by fences against damage to woody plants by the taste of animals. The fallen woody plants are left in place, they gradually decompose, some species of fungi use it for their spread in the forest stand, more than two hundred species of fungi bound to rotting woody plants were found in the locality. Similarly, rotting wood is inhabited by several species of beetles. In many places we can find protruding remnants of tree trunks, the fall of the upper part of conifers and the crowns of deciduous trees also naturally illuminates the shaded lower vegetation and allows the growth of a new generation of woody plants from seeds germinated in moist soil. At the entrance to the PR from Horní Bradl there is an information board, there is also a rest area. In the lower half of the through route used in the past to strengthen the forest road stones, today with protruding sharp edges, the risk of falling if misted! For small children and people with limited mobility, the route through the nature reserve is unsuitable, for others from the point of view of the local history trail, I recommend. Photographs & Document, CZ200925