Lake Milada, located between Teplice and Ústí nad Labem, is emerging as a new recreational heart for the region. With the capacity to attract more than 150,000 visitors each year, it offers a unique opportunity to transform a former mining site into a vibrant destination for everyday life, leisure, and nature.

The reclaimed landscape has already developed into a mosaic of valuable habitats and ecological corridors that host rare and protected species. Building on this natural foundation, the vision for Lake Milada is to create a “Living Landscape”: a place where ecological renewal and human activity go hand in hand. By weaving together natural, cultural, and recreational functions, the project aims to integrate the lake into the daily lives of surrounding communities while safeguarding its biodiversity.

The development concept focuses on several key directions:

• Ecological regeneration: strengthening habitats, biotopes, and natural systems as the basis for long-term resilience.

• Recreational diversity: providing opportunities ranging from swimming, cycling, and sports to quiet nature walks, relaxation, and cultural events.

• Accessible mobility: ensuring safe and sustainable access by foot, bicycle, and public transport, while limiting car dependency.

• Community gateways: establishing four distinct entry points, each with its own character and program, connecting nearby towns with the lake and anchoring the area in the regional identity.

• Cultural and educational value: introducing art, learning, and interpretation into the landscape, creating a space that is both enjoyable and meaningful.

By harmonizing ecological restoration with public use, Lake Milada will become much more than a recreational area. It will be a symbol of regional transformation — a landscape that celebrates nature, invites people to gather and explore, and demonstrates how post-industrial sites can be reborn as living, thriving environments.