Nature and Landscape

We are proud of our natural environment and landscape and we are aware of the need to care for it in the best way so that it remains here in the best possible condition for future generations. At the end of the 19th century, coal was discovered in the Moravian-Silesian Region and for a considerable time our region became the most important industrial area, not only in the country, but in the entire former Hapsburg Empire. Coal mining and associated industrial sectors such as steel production influenced the character of our landscape for a long period.

Since the early nineties, there has been considerable environmental improvement due to a decline in industrial production, thanks to the use of environmentally friendly technologies and significant investment into environmental measures. Despite these improvements, the region still belongs to the most polluted areas of the Czech Republic, as in the past the environment had been contaminated in all manner of ways. Today, the most problematic issues are air pollution, contamination of soil and groundwater (due to industrial activities), mining subsidence and pollution of surface waters.

The natural character and different economic development have contributed to differences in the quality of the environment of individual areas within the region. The most serious environmental impacts are concentrated in the central and northeastern parts of the region. On the other hand, there are also places with important and valuable natural qualities that are protected areas. These are protected natural landscapes, natural monuments or nature reserves.

Geographically, the Moravian-Silesian Region is a very diverse place. From the west, it is bound by the massif of Hruby Jesenik, which gradually turns into the Lower Jesenik Range and the Oder Hills, and the eastern boundary is formed by the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy mountains. Between the mountains there are also lowland areas, namely the southernmost outcrop of the Silesian Lowland formed by the Opava-Ostrava basin, which is connected to the south by the natural landscape corridor of the Moravian Gate (Moravská brána). The highest point in the region is the peak of Praděd (1 491 m) located in the mountains of Hruby Jesenik, the second highest point is Lysá hora (1 323 m) the Beskydy mountains. The lowest point is the confluence of the Oder and Olše rivers (195 m).