Government Declares Over a Thousand Natura 2000 Sites Nationwide

The Czech government has adopted a new regulation declaring the European important sites (evropsky významné lokality) that have been included in the European Natura 2000 list, consolidating the national network of protected areas in a single legal instrument. The measure, published as Nařízení vlády č. 165/2026 Sb. in the Sbírka zákonů of 15 September 2026, was signed by Prime Minister Ing. Babiš and Environment Minister Mgr. Červený.

The regulation is issued under § 45c(1) of Act No. 114/1992 Sb. on nature and landscape protection, as amended by Act No. 349/2009 Sb. It lists more than a thousand sites across the whole of the Czech Republic, each identified by its official code, name, area in hectares and the geographic coordinates of its centre.

What the regulation does

The core provision (§ 1) declares the European important sites that have been placed on the European list, with the full catalogue of sites set out in the annex to the regulation. The annex records each locality with its code (e.g. CZ0110040 Chuchelské háje, CZ0110050 Prokopské údolí, CZ0814092 Poodří), its area and its central coordinates.

The new instrument consolidates and replaces the previous legal framework in a single text:

• Nařízení vlády č. 187/2018 Sb. on the declaration of European important sites included in the European list;
• Nařízení vlády č. 152/2022 Sb., which amended the 2018 regulation;
• Nařízení vlády č. 113/2023 Sb., which further amended the 2018 regulation as amended by the 2022 text.

Sites across the country

The annex covers localities in every region, from small wetland and forest refuges of under one hectare to extensive river and woodland complexes. Examples include the Kaňon Vltavy u Sedlce, Voděradské bučiny, Dymokursko (over 4,300 ha), Poodří (over 5,200 ha) and the Sovinec forest area (over 2,500 ha).

The sites protect a wide range of habitats and species, including wetlands, peat bogs, calcareous grasslands, old-growth beech forests and river corridors, and are part of the European Natura 2000 network established under the EU Habitats Directive.

Entry into force

Under § 3, the regulation takes effect on the fifteenth day following the day of its publication. The consolidated declaration gives landowners, public authorities and conservation bodies a single, up-to-date reference for the sites that enjoy statutory protection under the nature and landscape protection regime.

For readers, the new regulation matters because it brings the entire Czech Natura 2000 network under one current legal text, replacing a patchwork of amendments from 2018, 2022 and 2023. Anyone planning activities on or near the listed localities — from farming and forestry to construction and development — should check the annex to confirm whether their land falls within a protected European important site.

Source: Sbírka zákonů, 165/2026 Sb., 15 September 2026, Part I (official reference: Nařízení vlády č. 165/2026 Sb.).