Our new centre

Our field study centre Krupárna – The Mill

After searching several years, A Rocha Czech has found an ideal site for a centre in a river valley near Dobruška, in Northeastern Bohemia. It was originally a grain mill, then a textile mill, located in one-half of an old, spacious building located on 2.5 hectares of land – meadows and forests – within thirty kilometres of the ecologically important Eagle Mountains, Grandmother’s Valley and the Rozkoš reservoir. A stream that used to power an old-fashioned water wheel still runs through the building; we intend to install a turbine that will provide an alternative, water-powered source of electricity. The other half of the building is residential and will provide apartments for two A Rocha families.

After extensive renovation of The Mill, we’ll have two large classrooms with space for nature exhibits, smaller common rooms, a library, office, workshop, small kitchen and a storeroom. In the attic that encompasses the whole building, we’ll have a large dormitory and smaller guestrooms, with a capacity for about twenty-five visitors and volunteers.

Krupárna will enable us to expand our educational, ecological and environmental programmes for elementary and secondary schools. It will also provide a base for university volunteers engaged in conservation research and practical fieldwork. We also envision an office in the centre for a researcher and advisor in the field of ecological agriculture.

With our own facility we can practice hospitality, welcoming colleagues from other environmental and conservation groups, such as the Czech Ornithological Society and departments of ecology from Czech and foreign universities. We also look forward to being able to host visitors from other A Rocha projects. Finally, we see the centre as a place for educating Christians from many churches about the importance of caring for God’s creation.

The Challenge

Half of the mill building has already been bought and now the urgent need is to raise 110,000 Euros / £75,000 by the end of December 2006 to complete the purchase. Once A Rocha Czech owns the whole building, the organisation will be better positioned to secure grants and other support.

The next phase will be to manage the extensive reconstruction of the whole building (during 2007-2010) and the aim is to raise funds abroad, as well as in the Czech Republic, where the regional government has already granted over 36,000 Euros / £25,000 for the replacement of the roof.

If you would like to donate to the Krupárna Field Study Centre Capital Campaign Appeal, please contact international@arocha.org