Abstract
The heathland and low grassland vegetation of Křížky NNM long suffered from expansion of tall grass vegetation due to a non-intervention regime introduced in the 1960s. Therefore, annual extensive summer sheep grazing of the site was started in 1996.
Since 2008, the effects of this management have been assessed by making relevés of the vegetation in pairs of fenced and unfenced plots. Results of the monitoring show that this grazing method supports the targeted low grassland vegetation and suppresses tall grass vegetation.
However, essential dwarf-shrub species were surprisingly more prosperous in the fenced controls. Further monitoring of the site has shown that this is probably caused by very strong winter grazing pressure of overbred sika deer, which graze on evergreen ericaceous dwarf-shrubs.
Assessment of the performed sheep grazing methods has indicated several partial measures which have markedly increased its effectivity.