Overview and History
Krkonoše — the Giant Mountains — form the highest part of the Bohemian Massif and host the Czech Republic's oldest and most visited national park. Established in 1963, the park covers 363 km² and shares a boundary with Karkonosze National Park in Poland, the two parks jointly recognised as a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1992. Sněžka, at 1,603 metres, marks the highest point in both the park and the entire Czech Republic.
The mountains were shaped primarily by glacial processes during the Pleistocene. Cirques carved by valley glaciers are visible on the north-facing slopes — the Labský důl and Úpská jáma depressions are the most prominent — while periglacial frost action created the stone polygons and block fields that characterise the upper ridges. Peat formation in waterlogged depressions above 800 metres began shortly after glacial retreat, around 10,000 years ago, and continues today.
Alpine and Subalpine Flora
The vegetation pattern in Krkonoše follows a clear altitudinal gradient. Below 900 metres, Norway spruce plantations installed during the 18th and 19th centuries cover much of the former mixed montane forest. Between 900 and 1,200 metres, the natural montane spruce belt — now significantly damaged by bark beetle outbreaks and acid rain effects from the 1970s–1990s — is gradually recovering through natural regeneration. Above 1,200 metres lies the subalpine zone dominated by mountain pine (Pinus mugo) krummholz and extended grasslands.
Above 1,400 metres, the alpine tundra zone holds some of the park's rarest plant communities. Arctic-alpine species here are glacial relicts — populations stranded at these elevations as the climate warmed after the last glaciation. The Krkonoše globe flower (Trollius altissimus), endemic to the park, blooms on wet meadows in late spring alongside marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) and various sedge species.
Further documented rarities in the alpine zone include alpine woodrush (Luzula alpinopilosa), Krkonoše hawkweed (Hieracium nigrescens s.l.), and the moss campion (Silene acaulis). The peat bogs of the ridge zone support round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) and the rare bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia).
Visitor impact on alpine flora has been extensively documented. The Sněžka summit plateau, the most visited point in the park, shows significant soil compaction and vegetation removal within 20 metres of established trails. The park administration has installed boardwalk sections on the most sensitive stretches to concentrate foot traffic.
Resident Fauna
The most visible large mammal in the park's alpine zone is the chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). Chamois were introduced to Krkonoše in 1907 from the Alps; the population has since stabilised at between 200 and 300 individuals and is considered naturalised, though it remains monitored for potential competition with native ungulates. In winter, the animals descend below the treeline; in summer they range across the summit ridges.
Red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer are common throughout the forested zones. Wild boar are present but at lower densities than in lowland forests. The mountain hare (Lepus timidus), a glacial relict mammal species, maintains a small population on the upper ridges — one of very few surviving populations in the Czech Republic.
Among birds, the western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is the most closely monitored species. Its population in Krkonoše has declined by more than 60% since the 1970s, attributed to a combination of forestry disturbance, increased recreational pressure and changes in the understory vegetation structure. Current counts suggest fewer than 50 individuals remain, confined to the most remote forest stands. Conservation measures include seasonal trail closures in core capercaillie territories from February to June.
The Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus), ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus), black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) and water pipit (Anthus spinoletta) are among the characteristic montane bird species. The Elbe river — which rises in the Krkonoše ridge at an elevation of 1,384 metres — supports breeding populations of white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) along its upper reaches.
Zone Management Framework
Krkonoše operates under a four-zone management structure that distinguishes between areas of strict nature protection and those where managed recreational use is permitted. Zone I comprises the core areas — about 26% of the park — where no visitor access is allowed outside specific research permits. Zone II, the natural zone, includes the subalpine and alpine belt above the treeline; visitors are restricted to designated marked trails. Zone III, the managed zone, covers most of the forested areas and includes the majority of the park's trail network. Zone IV, the marginal zone, incorporates villages within the park boundary and is managed under standard planning regulations.
The cross-border cooperation with Poland has produced a jointly managed buffer zone framework, shared monitoring protocols for ungulate populations, and a coordinated approach to ski resort development. The Špindlerův Mlýn and Pec pod Sněžkou resorts, both within Zone IV, generate significant seasonal visitor pressure requiring active management of trail erosion and wildlife disturbance in adjacent zone boundaries.
Acid Deposition and Forest Recovery
Krkonoše was one of the most severely affected landscapes in Europe during the peak of industrial acid emissions from coal-burning operations in the Bohemian and Silesian basins during the 1970s and 1980s. Spruce stands above 800 metres experienced mass dieback across thousands of hectares; the visible skeleton forests that resulted became internationally recognised symbols of industrial pollution impact on mountain ecosystems.
Following the reduction of sulphur and nitrogen emissions after 1990, atmospheric deposition loads dropped substantially. However, the recovery of the spruce forest proved slower than models predicted. Soil acidification, which had progressed over decades, required extended periods for base cation replenishment. Current monitoring by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute and Krkonoše park administration shows a continued, if gradual, improvement in soil chemistry indicators and associated moss and lichen communities.
Additional information on ongoing monitoring is available via the Krkonoše National Park Administration and the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic.