Czech republic > Moravian-silesian Region > Ostrava > Ostrava Greenery
Category : Countryside
GPS : 49°51'46.7964"N, 18°11'43.44072"E
ID: 3139
The Štěpán Nature Reserve is situated on the northern edge of Ostrava in the Opava river valley, and covers an area of almost 28 hectares. Most of the reservation is in Opava district (in the village of Děhylov), with only 1.75 ha in Ostrava’s municipal district of Martinov.
At the heart of the reserve is the large, shallow Štěpán pond. No longer used for commerce or agriculture, the pond has gradually become a wild wetland area, harbouring populations of reeds and sedge that offer an ideal habitat for amphibians and aquatic birds. Štěpán is also home to several protected reptile and plant species. The dyke at the edge of the pond, with its tall deciduous trees, forms a romantic backdrop to the scene. The Štěpán pond is one of the most valuable protected sites in the Ostrava area, as important as parts of the Odra Valley (Poodří) Protected Landscape Area.