Take a look into our past and our tradition.
History of Lesoškolky
1895
Forest nurseries in the vicinity of Řečany nad Labem have a long-standing tradition. They were established as early as 1895 in the cadastral areas of Kladruby nad Labem and Zdechovice by forest engineer and forest master Konrád Herran. Legend has it that he traveled throughout Bohemia and Moravia to select the most suitable location for his nursery project before finally settling in Řečany. It is stated that Herran's nurseries were the first enterprise of their kind in Central Europe. The primary customers were small forest owners. Additionally, he explored further opportunities for producing conifers and shrubs. His patent for lattice fences—Neulohe—was well-known. He improved a wide range of forestry tools and made full use of advertising and promotion.
1945
After World War II, the Herran family was expelled and their property was confiscated. The nurseries, which covered 22 hectares at the time, were nationalized. The first appointed national administrator was Ing. Bedřich Pivec, who later became an official at the Ministry.
1946
In 1946, the nurseries were annexed as a branch of the Seed Plant in České Budějovice. The first manager was Mr. Stanislav Šrůtek, a forest ranger from Stará Boleslav. In March 1946, 14 young graduates of the Forestry Guard School arrived in Řečany to complete their practical training, intended to later become managers of seed stations. In 1947, a new manager, Ing. Konstantin Podoljak, was appointed; having previously managed the Zdechovice estate, he was well-acquainted with the local conditions. In the following years, the acreage gradually increased, nurseries were established at "Černý rybník" (Black Pond), and the nurseries of the Vacek company were incorporated.
1952
In 1952, the Hacker nurseries in Hradec Králové were taken over by the plant's management. A center was established there under the leadership of Jindřich Koudela, which existed until 1962, when it had to make way for the residential housing development of the Hradec Králové – Slezské předměstí district.
1964
In 1964, the nursery plant in Řečany took over the management of the Sempra breeding station in Týniště nad Orlicí, followed by the nurseries in Albrechtice nad Orlicí, Ledce, and Dolní Jelení in 1966. This led to the creation of a new remote center, 01 Týniště nad Orlicí. At that time, the nursery plant had already been managed for a long period by Mr. Stanislav Řehůřek. In 1970, a surface drainage ditch network was created, full-area irrigation in Řečany nad Labem was completed, and roads were paved. In 1971, a climate-controlled storage facility was finished. At that time, the nurseries covered an area of 123 hectares.
In the 1980s, the Kladruby nad Labem center was established. By 1985, the total area of the nurseries reached 200 hectares.
1992
In 1992, the nursery plant was privatized, and management was taken over by the company LESOŠKOLKY s.r.o. The organizational structure was redesigned, and between 1993 and 1994, new nurseries were established in Hlavečník, covering 20 hectares. In 1995, the Zelená Bouda large-scale nursery (now the Brandýs center), spanning 90 hectares, was leased from the state enterprise Lesy České republiky to better serve customers in Central and Northern Bohemia. Furthermore, a brand-new forest nursery was established in 1997 in Mladé Buky near Trutnov. At that time, the company managed 300 hectares of forest and, in part, ornamental nurseries.
1998
In 1998, Ing. Ladislav Němec became the sole managing director and owner of the company. The nursery area was effectively streamlined to the current 200 hectares.
In 2006, the company took over nurseries in the vicinity of Františkovy Lázně and Aš. Over twenty years of operation, it evolved from a small provincial nursery into one of the best-equipped forest nurseries in the Czech Republic, managing 25 hectares of production areas with nearly 2 hectares of polytunnels.
In 2008–2009, a forest seed center was established in Řečany.
2010
The operation of the seed extraction plant is focused on the processing, storage, and preparation of seeds for sowing forest species as well as other trees and shrubs. Seed is a strategic resource for nursery production; therefore, we strive to follow modern trends and apply them in practice.
In 2016, the Štítné retail nursery was opened.
2023
Since 2023, Ing. Ladislav Němec has remained the sole owner, but he has handed over the management of the company to his children—Přemysl, Vojtěch, and Anna. The company's goal continues to be the production of high-quality planting material across a complete range of species and the provision of top-tier services in the field.
In 2025, the company is expanding its operations at the Ořechov retail nursery and has also broadened its product portfolio to include plant protection products and growth enhancers.
