Czech Union of Nature Conservationists Vlašim

The Czech Union of Nature Conservationists Vlašim (ČSOP Vlašim) is a civic association and the regional branch of the Czech Union of Nature Conservationists (ČSOP) for the Central Bohemian Region, based in the town of Vlašim in the Czech Republic. It was founded on 25 September 1990, continuing the work of the local Society for the Beautification and Protection of the Homeland that had been established in Vlašim on 23 April 1899. Its mission is the protection of natural and cultural heritage, primarily in the Podblanicko area around the Blaník hill. The organisation operates the Podblanické ekocentrum (Podblanicko Eco-centre) in the centre of Vlašim, which serves as its seat and main activity hub. Among its best-known facilities is the Wildlife Rescue Station (Záchranná stanice pro živočichy Vlašim), founded in 1994, which is part of the national network of stations for handicapped animals and provides care for injured and otherwise disabled free-living animals, returning them to the wild. It also carries out rescue transfers and environmental education. ČSOP Vlašim runs several visitor and educational attractions: the Water House (Vodní dům), which presents the aquatic world through experience and all the senses; ParaZOO, which gives handicapped animals a second chance; the House of Nature Blaník (Dům přírody Blaníku), introducing the nature of the area around the legendary mountain; and the Podblanická Gallery, housed in the neo-Gothic Vlašim Gate in the park by Vlašim Castle, which was reconstructed and opened to the public in 2005–2006 and opened as a gallery in May 2006. The gallery hosts a permanent exhibition of professional and amateur artists from the Podblanicko region and includes the studio of the local painter Stanislav Příhoda. The association is also active in publishing. Together with the Museum of Podblanicko and the Administration of the Blaník Protected Landscape Area, it publishes the quarterly regional-history magazine Pod Blaníkem, covering nature, landscape, environment, technical monuments, culture, history and current affairs of the Benešov region, with a separate thematic supplement each year. It also issues regional publications in the editions Pod Blaníkem, Přírodou Podblanicka and Kraj Blanických rytířů. In addition, it organises camps, day camps and residential stays for children, a Young Nature Conservationists club for children aged 8 to 15, exhibitions, excursions and guided walks, and it manages the Geopark Kraj blanických rytířů (Land of the Blaník Knights Geopark). As a civic association and a basic organisation of the nationwide ČSOP, ČSOP Vlašim is a non-profit entity rather than a commercial company, but it operates a range of public-facing services, visitor attractions and publications under its own name and trademarks. It is a regional centre of ČSOP for the Central Bohemian Region and has been teaching love and respect for nature since 1990.

The Czech Union of Nature Conservationists Vlašim (ČSOP Vlašim) was founded on 25 September 1990 as a civic association in Vlašim, Czech Republic. It explicitly continues the activities of the Society for the Beautification and Protection of the Homeland (Spolek pro okrašlování a ochranu domoviny), which had been established in Vlašim on 23 April 1899. ČSOP Vlašim is a branch association and a basic organisation of the nationwide Czech Union of Nature Conservationists (ČSOP). Its mission is the protection of natural and cultural heritage, primarily in the Podblanicko region. The seat and centre of activities of ČSOP Vlašim is the Podblanické ekocentrum ČSOP Vlašim, located in the centre of the town of Vlašim. In 1994 the organisation founded the Wildlife Rescue Station Vlašim (Záchranná stanice pro živočichy Vlašim), which is a member of the national network of stations for handicapped animals. The station's mission is the care of injured and otherwise disabled free-living animals and their return to the wild; its other activities include rescue transfers and environmental education, training and awareness. In 2005 and 2006 ČSOP Vlašim reconstructed the Vlašim Gate (Vlašimská brána), a neo-Gothic structure in the park by Vlašim Castle, and made it accessible to the public. The Podblanická Gallery was opened there in May 2006. Since then it has hosted a permanent exhibition of professional and amateur artists from the Podblanicko region, as well as separate exhibitions, and it includes the studio of the local painter Stanislav Příhoda, which visitors may also view. In publishing, ČSOP Vlašim, in cooperation with the Museum of Podblanicko and the Administration of the Blaník Protected Landscape Area, publishes the regional-history quarterly Pod Blaníkem, covering the Benešov, Vlašim, Votice, Český Merán and Lower Sázava areas. The magazine publishes contributions on nature, landscape, the environment, technical monuments, culture, history and current affairs in the Podblanicko region, roughly defined by the borders of the Benešov district. A separate monothematic supplement is published each year. ČSOP Vlašim further publishes regional publications in the editions Pod Blaníkem, Přírodou Podblanicka and Kraj Blanických rytířů. The organisation also runs the Water House (Vodní dům), which presents the aquatic world through experience and all the senses; ParaZOO, which gives handicapped animals a second chance; the House of Nature Blaník (Dům přírody Blaníku), which introduces the nature around the legendary mountain; and the Geopark Kraj blanických rytířů. It organises camps, day camps and residential stays for children, a Young Nature Conservationists club for children aged 8 to 15, exhibitions, excursions and guided walks. As a regional centre of ČSOP for the Central Bohemian Region, it has been teaching love and respect for nature since 1990.

• 2006

  The Podblanická Gallery opens in the Vlašim Gate in May.

• 2005

  Reconstruction of the Vlašim Gate (Vlašimská brána) begins, making it accessible to the public.

• 1994

  The Wildlife Rescue Station Vlašim (Záchranná stanice pro živočichy Vlašim) is founded.

• 1990

  ČSOP Vlašim is founded as a civic association in Vlašim on 25 September.

• 1899

  The Society for the Beautification and Protection of the Homeland is established in Vlašim on 23 April, the predecessor whose work ČSOP Vlašim continues.

Regional non-profit nature conservation and environmental education organisation, operating visitor attractions and publications under its own name in the Podblanicko region.

• Vodní dům (Water House)

  A visitor attraction presenting the aquatic world through experience and all the senses.

• ParaZOO

  A facility giving handicapped animals a second chance.

• Dům přírody Blaníku (House of Nature Blaník)

  Introduces the nature around the legendary Blaník mountain.

• Podblanická galerie (Podblanicko Gallery)

  Gallery in the Vlašim Gate with a permanent exhibition of professional and amateur artists from the Podblanicko region, opened in May 2006; includes the studio of painter Stanislav Příhoda.

• Záchranná stanice pro živočichy Vlašim (Wildlife Rescue Station)

  Founded in 1994, a member of the national network of stations for handicapped animals, caring for injured and disabled free-living animals and returning them to the wild.

• Pod Blaníkem quarterly

  A regional-history quarterly published with the Museum of Podblanicko and the Blaník Protected Landscape Area Administration, covering nature, landscape, environment, technical monuments, culture, history and current affairs of the Podblanicko region; a separate thematic supplement is published each year.

• Regional publications (editions Pod Blaníkem, Přírodou Podblanicka, Kraj Blanických rytířů)

  Regional publications issued by ČSOP Vlašim.

1. 1ČSOP Vlašim official websitecsopvlasim.cz
2. 2Czech Union of Nature Conservationists Vlašim on Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Český svaz ochránců přírody Vlašim on Czech Wikipediacs.wikipedia.org