Shrub removal

This have become an essential part in the restoration of non-forest habitats. In the České středohoří, the sound of chainsaws carries over the forgotten meadows, pastures and orchards, whose magic has been hidden by nature under hawthorn, blackthorn, dogwood, wild privet, ash, and black locust. Each cutting reveals the landscape of ancestors. In the past, shrub cutting helped to save important steppe sites.

 Shrub removal is physically and economically demanding. It is necessary to carefully dispose of the cut material. This management method is made difficult by re-sprouting of the shrub species, which is very persistent in some of them. It is therefore necessary to repeat the cutting and continue to manage the site, otherwise the shrubs will return, even denser and more impenetrable. Re-sprouting is reduced by regular mowing and is successfully restricted by grazing goats, which like them a lot. Unfortunately, in some places it is not possible to stop the new shoots other than by applying herbicides. In the past, regular burning helped to control them as well.

When applying this method, it is necessary to follow certain rules. It cannot be carried out during the bird nesting season, as well as when mammal cubs are born. It is also necessary to leave some bushes, as they provide a home for insect as well as shade. Shrub eradication can negatively affect the whole area.