EN > Trip tips > Meadows of Kouty and Zábřeh

The educational trail, which leads through the eponymous nature reserve, introduces visitors to the wetlands and waterlogged meadows in the floodplain of the Opava River, and to the rare plants and animals tied to it.

The route spans three kilometres, leading for the most part through the heart of the nature reserve and away from kempt paths, and is literally a journey into the wild. Visitors are guided along the Štěpánka Brook and its meander cut-offs. Six information panels and interactive elements for children complement the experience.

The trail familiarizes visitors with the history of the location and its development over time, its natural treasures, and other interesting aspects, such as the fact that this is a one-of-a-kind complex of wetland meadows, with scattered vegetation and alluvial plains, remnants of river meander cut-offs, and periodically flooded freshwater pools. It is home to numerous protected plant and animal species that depend on wetland ecosystems, and is an important nesting place for many bird species. Along with the nearby Kozmice Bird Meadows, these are the last substantial floodplain meadows that have survived in the Opava River valley.

The educational trail Meadows of Kouty and Zábřeh (Koutské a Zábřežské louky) was built by "Levrekův ostrov", the local chapter of the Czech Union for Nature Conservation (ČSOP), in 2020.