Nature Protection: Šumava - UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

Catalogue number	A0691
Date of issue	31.8.2011
Face value	62 CZK
Print sheets	4 stamps + 4 coupons (se-tenant)
Size of picture	118 x 170 mm
Graphic designer	Libuše and Jaromír Knotek
Engraver	Martin Srb
Printing method	recess print from flat plate in black combined with multicoloured offset

The importance of the Šumava National Park and Protected Landscape Area grew in 1990 with the declaration of a biosphere reserve (part of the UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme) covering almost the entire Šumava region and the neighbouring Bavarian Forest National Park in Germany. The Šumava Biosphere Reserve is to preserve the typical Šumava landscape and all of its traditional elements including the way of its cultivation. The biosphere reserve is located in the mountain area along the Austrian and Bavarian borders with the Czech Republic. The entire region was affected by human activities (such as gold mining, glass industry) and frequently used from as early as the 10th century. Šumava is also the last big central European area with an extensive way of using. The area abounds in ancient mountain forests, lakes of glacial origin, peat bogs, rivers and their canyons and similar values that have been preserved until the present day. Unlike the Šumava National Park with a higher percentage of forest (83.8%), forests (flower and acidophilic beech woods, mountain spruce woods, wetland pine woods) are present in more than 65% of the Šumava Biosphere Reserve. Local peat bogs are clearly the highlight of the area. The plains that cover the central part of Šumava at more than 1,000 meters above the sea level are also extensively used. The vast area is used as meadows or pasture land. A large number of rare animals, such as Northern birch mouse (Sicista betulina) or the imported Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), live in the area. Prominent wild birds include wood grouse (Tetrao urogallus) and black grouse (Tetrao tetrix). The Blanice river headwater area has the highest presence of freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) in the Czech Republic. The Šumava-UNESCO Biosphere Reserve miniature sheet is the final one of the present series of six sheets featuring Czech biosphere reserves.
Cat. number - 0691: Face value 10 CZK - Tetrao urogallus, Turdus torquatus and Erebia euryale. Picture size: 50 x 40 mm
Cat. number - 0692: Face value 14 CZK - Colias palaeno Dactylorhiza traunsteineri. Picture size: 23 x 40 mm
Cat. number - 0693: Face value 18 CZK - Tetrao tetrix, Aeshna juncea and Alces alces. Picture size: 50 x 40 mm
Cat. number - 0694:Face value 20 CZK - Lynx lynx and Picoides tridactylus. Picture size: 50 x 40 mm

Do You like it? You can order it here