From above, the patchwork of grassland and woodland in the Central Bohemian Uplands of the Czech Republic tells a quiet story of ecological recovery. Captured by Copernicus Sentinel-2, this image shows part of České Středohoří, where conservationists have spent six years reversing habitat decline across 277 hectares of protected land.
Since 2017, the EU-funded LIFE České Středohoří project has worked to restore dry grasslands and light woodlands that had deteriorated after traditional grazing and mowing practices disappeared in the 1990s. With support from the Czech Ministry of the Environment and the Nature Conservation Agency, conservationists targeted 19 sites across the region, clearing over 127 hectares of invasive trees and managing more than 150 hectares of grassland through mowing or low-impact grazing with sheep and goats.
These efforts have helped recover species tied to these rare ecosystems. Populations of the green lizard (Lacerta viridis) more than doubled. The endangered lady’s slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus) increased by 50 percent, and numbers of speargrass and eastern pasqueflower also rebounded. The Jersey tiger moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria), one of the project’s six target species, also benefited from improved habitat conditions.
The Copernicus programme provides critical satellite data to monitor these changes. It allows conservation teams to assess forest and grassland health over time and adapt their strategies as needed.
In addition to habitat restoration, the project trained teachers, built educational trails with interactive guides, and engaged more than 50,000 people in the region. A long-term After-LIFE plan now supports local farmers and landowners to continue traditional land care practices and maintain these recovering habitats.
Featured image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery
