{"id":18372,"date":"2022-03-11T17:00:49","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T16:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/broz.sk\/apalsky-ostrov-island-forest-reserve-at-the-confluence-of-rivers\/"},"modified":"2022-03-11T17:07:45","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T16:07:45","slug":"apalsky-ostrov-island-forest-reserve-at-the-confluence-of-rivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/broz.sk\/en\/apalsky-ostrov-island-forest-reserve-at-the-confluence-of-rivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Ap\u00e1lsky ostrov Island – Forest reserve at the confluence of rivers"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]National Nature Reserve <\/span>Ap\u00e1lsky ostrov<\/span><\/a> with 5<\/span>th<\/span> the highest degree of protection represents one of the exceptional and rare project sites of BROZ. This area with surface of 85.97 ha was declared in 1954 to ensure the protection of unique communities of willow-poplar floodplain forest. There is no forestry management activity in the area, thanks to which it is possible to observe forest habitats in various development stages. The presence of natural processes that are not affected by unwanted human intervention gives space for the occurrence of many rare and protected floodplain and wetland species of flora and fauna.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18316″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]The reserve is also part of the network of protected areas <\/span>NATURA 2000<\/span><\/a> as<\/span> Site\u00a0of\u00a0Community Importance Dolnov\u00e1\u017eske luhy<\/span><\/a> and serves to protect habitats and species of European importance. There leads no tourist trail through the area, so entry to the site is not allowed for regular visitors. Only employees of the <\/span>State Nature Conservancy<\/span><\/a>, zoologists and botanists, enter the area for the purpose of monitoring of protected species and habitats or active management of the area.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18348″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]National Nature Reserve <\/span>Ap\u00e1lsky ostrov<\/span><\/a> Island<\/span> lies in a\u00a0floodplain area at the confluence of the rivers V\u00e1h and Star\u00e1 Nitra. It is basically a river peninsula. In the past it was an island, but the river branch that surrounded it no longer exists, and it has been grounded due to gradual sedimentation.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18362″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]A large part of the area is covered by a preserved floodplain forest. The trees of the forest stands together with the undergrowth and the fallen dead wood create the jungle character of this reserve. The forest stands are represented by following tree species: white willow (<\/span>Salix alba<\/span><\/i>), <\/span>crack willow<\/span> (<\/span>Salix fragilis<\/span><\/i>), <\/span>purple willow<\/span> (<\/span>Salix purpurea<\/span><\/i>), black poplar (<\/span>Populus nigra<\/span><\/i>), white poplar (<\/span>Populus alba<\/span><\/i>), grey poplar (<\/span>Populus x canescens<\/span><\/i>), European ash (<\/span>Fraxinus excelsior<\/span><\/i>) or narrow-leaved ash (<\/span>Fraxinus angustifolia<\/span><\/i>). <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18340″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]In addition to the forests, part of the reserve is also covered by meadow habitats, where the locals used to graze cattle in the past. Different wet meadows communities are represented by rich composition of plant species, many of them are endangered and protected. We can find here for example summer snowflake (<\/span>Leucojum aestivum<\/span><\/i>), <\/span>Clematis integrifolia<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Plantago altissima<\/span><\/i> and others.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]