The organisers of the series of informational panels installed in the area behind the Faculty of Science have set themselves the task of acquainting visitors with the newly established Landscape of Shale (Krajina břidlice) geopark in Nízký Jeseník and drawing the public’s attention to its geological diversity. This geopark cooperates closely with the UP Department of Geology on the assignment of final student theses, the solution of scientific questions regarding its geological aspects, and in popularization activities.
“The area of the geopark mostly consists of Lower Carboniferous sedimentary rocks, which were mined in many places as shale roofing tiles. However, there are also volcanic centres in the vicinity of Bruntál, such as Uhlířský vrch and the Venus volcano. The area is interesting from the historical point of view, and interesting plants and animals can also be found there,” said Jakub Jirásek from the Department of Geology, who, together with his colleague Tomáš Lehotský, is a member of the geopark’s scientific board.
The Landscape of Shale geopark is located in the Nízký Jeseník highland, in the Olomouc and Moravian-Silesian regions. It covers an area of 1,913 km2. The visual style of the geopark is white and black: the white of the birch tree, which was the first to reforest the landscape affected by coal mining, and the black of the shale.
“The most attractive sites include the Museum of Shale in Budišov nad Budišovkou, mining works – Raab’s Table in Zálužné near Vítkov and Flaschar’s Mine near Odry – and the outdoor geological expositions in Odry and Vítkov,” Jirásek added.
The Council of National Geoparks of the Czech Republic recommended the Minister of the Environment to grant the Landscape of Shale area national geopark status. The ceremonial presentation of the National Geopark Landscape of Shale certificate to representatives of the association took place on 20 June 2022.
