“Let’s make our world more green and clean” Comenius 2012 – 2014

Book about National Parks

and Fauna & Flora

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CONTENT

National parks of Greece (Fauna and flora) National parks of Latvia (Fauna and flora) National parks of France (Fauna and flora) National Parks of Spain (Fauna and flora) National parks of Sicily (Fauna and flora) National parks of Romania (Fauna and flora) National parks of Poland (Fauna and flora) National parks of Norway (Fauna and flora) National parks of Slovenia (Fauna and flora) National parks of Turkey National parks of Lithuania (Fauna and flora)

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National parks of Greece Greece is characterized by a highly fragmented, rugged landscape hosting a great variety of ecosystems and an outstanding biodiversity. It is a relatively small country with a population of up to eleven (11) million people and an area of 132.000 km2, which, however, is positioned at the crossroads of three continents (Europe, Asia and Africa) and therefore played a key role in communication and development of the surrounding area. The natural environment of Greece is characterized by dramatic changes of ecosystems and habitats

It has a very long coastline (16,000 km), numerous peninsulas and islands. It is mainly a mountainous country with a great variety of geological formations and rocks. It is estimated that forests cover 20% of the surface. and over 50 % of its territory is 200-1000 meters above sea level. There is a wide geographical variation (mountains, hills, valleys, plains, rivers, islands, beaches, lakes and lagoons. All these features create a unique landscape, with unique specificities from region to region.

Moreover, in our country we find many different types of climates (from dry - Crete until cold - continental Rhodope), creating a large mosaic of vegetation and contribute to the isolation of certain habitats, which in turn generate a relatively large number of endemic and rare species of plants and animals.

At the same time, the paleogeographic history of the site in conjunction with changes in the global climate and glacial periods resulted in the enrichment of flora and fauna. In addition, many species were widespread in Central and Northern Europe, remained in our country as a residual and considered quite rare today.

The Greek forests are among the richest in flora and fauna

rare species in Europe. H form and composition depends on their geographical

location. In the northern part of the country, one encounters the green

forest of the Rhodope mountains and Pindos, and the famous Mount Olympus. The tree species that grow there firs , poplars - trees , dogwood , elm , cedar , wild walnut tree , hazel , trees , cherry trees , cypresses , etc.In the southern parts of coniferous trees dominated by different species of pine trees ,mountain and oak in the lower parts. Even at 700 meters above sea bushy formations are developed covering 13.5 % of the total forest area of country.

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The species grown there consist of small trees, laurels as arbutus, willow trees and shrubs, such as ivy, thyme, oregano, holly, mullein . etc. as a series of wild flowers such as orchids , saffron , cyclamen , irises , anemones , dragon flowers , daisies , chamomile , wild pansies , violets , poppies , etc.

Also , there are riparian forests in Greece which is on par with those in other European countries and deserves to be protected as a forest of ash in the delta of Achelous , the forest of the river ( Kotza Orman ) and forest Delta Lokrou – Arachthou

Also one of the important elements that constitute the Greek landscape is natural and ecological fences develop rural areas , help to protect the crops from the natural environment and the land from erosion and flood prevention and is an important habitat for many plants and animals. These hedges are formed by more than 150 species of plants, shrubs and trees (Such as wild roses, willows, elms, trees, etc.)

Over 1200 species of animals , birds and insects find shelter , food and shelter in these places , such as partridge , blackbird mouse, mole , butterfly , grasshopper , Wasp , etc. It is understandable, therefore, that our country has enormous natural wealth and conquered the first place in Europe in this field. Unfortunately, the environment in Greece is facing multiple threats of degradation, even destruction. Feature is that the Greek wetlands have been destroyed by three quarters, while the rate of reforestation is only 25 % and is the lowest in the Mediterranean Almost 5% of the Greek coastline consists of ecologically sensitive wetlands, especially in areas experiencing rapid growth of tourism.

The risk of disappearance of the natural environment of our country led to the designation of certain areas, habitats, plants and animals are protected. With national laws and presidential decrees, but also with international resolutions, conventions and directives, a sizable percentage of species and regions of the country are protected.

Climate change and biological diversity, along with its rich flora and fauna associated with it, has necessitated the creation of national parks.

Greek national parks (protected areas)

National parks usually consist of an area of absolute protection , the core, and a protective zone. According to Greek law, the kernel can not be less than

15,000,000 square meters, with the exception of marine national parks. The area should be greater than or at least equal to the size of the core. At the heart of the national park, only scientific research, mild recreational activities, and collection of information related to

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the environment. In the wider area of the national park allowed outposts, aquaculture, construction of forest roads, hiking camping, in conjunction with infrastructure and controlled logging. Some of the activities that are prohibited in national parks cores are industry, creating settlements, houses, cottages and huts, grazing, logging, hunting, cutting, uprooting, collecting plants etc.

In Greece the demarcation National Parks, ie areas of natural wealth protected by state regulations began to be consolidated from the 1950.

The national parks in Greece, known for its lush vegetation and fauna and has enormous ecological value. Rare species of plants, animals, reptiles and birds nesting in these shelters and deserve every possible protection and attention.

The first National Park established in the country in 1938 is Olympus. So in our country are: 10 national forest parks, two water parks and 27 national parks National forest parks

• Olympus National Park

• National Park of Parnitha • Parnassos National Park

• National Forest Enos Kefalonia • Sounio National Park

• Iti National Park • White Mountains National Forest (Samaria)

• Pindos National Park (Valia Calda) • National Park Prespa

• Gorge Aoou

National marine parks (National Marine Parks are marine areas declared as protected areas) .

In Greece have set up two sites as National Marine Parks

• National Marine Park of Allonisos, Northern Sporades, 1992 which includes land and sea areas of the high sea,

because they are the refuge of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus)

• National Marine Park of Zakynthos, 1999 for the protection of the sea turtle Caretta caretta

National Parks

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There is an abundance of protected areas, particularly wetlands

specifically designated after the 2004 National Parks. These, in order of approval are as follows :

• National Park Ropes Marathon 2000

• Park wetlands and lake Koroneia Macedonian Tempi , 2004 • Northern Pindos National Park , 2005

• National Park Messolonghi ( lagoons ) , wetlands and estuaries Aitolikou Achelous and Evinou and islands Echinades , 2006

• National Park of Dadia Lefkimmis and Soufliou, 2006 • National Park Lake and Lake Kerkinis Pamvotidas , 2006

• National Wetland Park Evro Delta , 2007 • National Park wetlands Ambracian , 2008

• National Park of East Macedonia - Thrace 2008 ( Nestos ) • Tzoumerkon National Park and Canyon Arachthou , 2009

• National Park Kotychi - Strofylia , 2009 • National Park Axios , Loudias and Aliakmona , 2009

• Rhodope Mountains ( virgin forest fence ), 2009 , and • National Park Chelmos Vouraikos 2009 .

According to the Greek Biotope - Wetland Goulandris today

in Greece are :

• 10 National Forest Parks ( 687,320 hectares) • 14 National parks (713,480 hectares)

• 51 Preserved natural monuments ( 168,400 hectares ) • 585 Wildlife Refuges

• 7 Controlled hunting areas ( 1,070,860 hectares ) • 21 game farms Treasure ( 36,030 acres)

• 2 Protection of Nature (Psalidi Kos western Milos ) • 1 - area house development in the area ( Lake Pamvotida )

• 10 Wetlands of International Importance (Convention Ramsar) • 390 Areas of the NATURA 2000 network

• 16 Districts biogenetic reserves ( 222,610 ha) • 2 Biosphere Reserve ( Parks and Samaria Olympus )

• 2 World heritage sites (Metsovo and Athos ) • 1 area ( Samaria , which has been awarded Eurodiploma)

Nowadays , designated 234 NATURA 2000 sites across the country ,

covering a total of 18% of the land area of Greece , which is about 2,360,000 hectares , excluding purely marine areas .• 19 Aesthetic

forests ( 325,060 hectares )

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Map of Greece with the positions of National Parks and National Parks (including water parks

The national parks in Greece, famous for its rich vegetation and fauna and have tremendous ecological value. Rare species of plants, animals, reptiles and birds nesting in these havens and deserve every possible protection and attention.

What follows are just a few of the most important national parks in Greece:

1. Parnassus, the sacred mountain of the Muses of ancient Greece mythology

2. Mount Iti, where Hercules met terrible fate. 3. Parnitha, with more than 1000 species of plants and 120 species of

birds 4. Mount Sounio (important passage for migratory birds)

5. Olympus, the living part of the ancient Greek gods, with over 1700 species of plants live, including 25 points in the world

6. National Park Aoou - gorge with two of the biggest natural landscapes Greece

7. The Vikos Gorge with rich flora consisting of rare species at risk of extinction threat

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8. The chasm Aoou, which is also rich in flora and fauna where one can find , among other species , the rare otter in the river

9. The National Park Valia Calda - the most important park of our country , where more than 80 species of birds nest , while 30 of those

listed in Annex I to 79/409 EEC direction . It is a place of considerable ornithological value presents 11 species of

raptors and 68 species of woodpeckers. Also , is the living part of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) and wolf

(Canis Lupus), while an ideal habitat for otters and amphibians are rich region (6 species) and reptiles (9 items)

10. Another important park is park of Samaria in Crete with the unique canyon. The Cretan wild goat and one of the rarest raptors

necrovorous in Greece, the Vulture. 11. The National Park of Ainos Kefalonia the island is famous for

its magnificent fir (Abies Kefalonia ) The fauna of all these areas consist of a large number of

mammals , such as badgers , foxes, squirrels , hares , bears , wolves , deer , badgers , wild boars , wild cats , a few jackals , deer and rare species of birds, especially raptors , such as vulture , vultures , golden eagle and the golden eagle , the snake eagle , the robin and owl .

The vegetation is also awesome abundant and therefore, these parks are fairly characterized as a botanical paradise and living spaces of the ancient gods!

Greece also has a great reputation for several surfaces of water. Setting the humidity and climate regulation is their function. The play important role in wintering birds and migration, breeding in northern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

In this way you will becme an integral environmental supply chain that connects the northern areas to the south.

In Greece 410 regional surfaces importance of water has been recorded, while 11 have been declared as “Water Surfaces international importance” RAMSAR- February 1971, like the Messolonghi lagoon - Aitolikou - Achelous mouth Ambracian Coast ( breeding area of marine turtle Caretta - Caretta), the delta of the Euro (one of the most important bodies of water in the Mediterranean lagoons Thrace Porto - Lagos and Acetabulum , the Prespa National Park ( two lakes) , Nestos and Axios and earthscapes and bulbs.

All these places are home to more than 300 species of birds such as Pelicans onocrotalus, the cormorant, the cinder Goose, the black stork, the Agathocalimana (unique species in Europe), the Aegioglarus etc. Also, a large number of amphibians, reptiles, mammals and insects nest to find food and shelter there.

However, these areas are not seriously undermined by excessive cultivation of the land, drainage, pesticides, destruction of riparian forest, open channel, hunting, construction of new dams etc. regardless of high ecological, scientific and cultural costs.

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Threats

The pollution of the natural environment and the degradation of forests and other natural ecosystems, although dating from the beginning of the industrial revolution, however, took place during the last 40 or so years.

Industrial development of the country follows inevitably to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the concentration of industry size urban centers, local climate, etc., destruction of the environment. In industrialized Western countries (Germany, France, England), and in countries of the former Eastern bloc necrosis observed from plants, pollution of surface and groundwater, a dramatic reduction of species and populations of fauna and flora.

From this general rule could not be differentiated our country. The rapid and unregulated development of the two major urban centers (Athens, Thessaloniki) created, among other things, a serious pollution problem. Athens until 1960 had 1,000,000 residents and several factories, without '' cloud ‘‘, except perhaps in Eleusis and Piraeus, where heavy industry is concentrated.

In 15 years (1975) the population tripled (3,000,000 inhabitants), cars proliferated and gathered to bowl three quarters of industrial and economic activity. This led Attica previously had one of the best climates in the world, become the most polluted region of our country, as demonstrated by systematic studies on the effect of emissions from these activities in natural ecosystems of Attica.

Thus, one of the big threats is air pollution. Series are human interventions (uncontrolled logging,

dams, creating settlements, etc. At the same time , other activities , such as recreation in the national forest and natural phenomena (sometimes artificial of course) such as fires , creating a threat to the forests of our country , especially during the summer months , when tourism increases and high temperatures create flammable forests .

Another serious threat is the human intervention All these positions seriously undermined by excessive cultivation land , drainage , pesticides , destroying riparian forest , open channel , hunting , construction of new dams etc. regardless of high ecological, scientific and cultural costs .

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Conclusions on environmental protection It is reasonable that every part of the planet Earth is a paradise! It is vital to keep on improving our own quality of life and as a legacy for future generations. It is our duty to protect our environment, our forests and our shores. There will be no life on our planet, without the awakening of environmental awareness and environmental responsibility are values that must be guided in future citizens who will influence legislation and environmental policy through voting, pressure or involvement to make our world their best! Let's not waste time!

Let's all try, citizens and state together in every part of the earth to save the environment, or at least save what is left of it, before it is too late for all of us!

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National Parks of Latvia

Latvian has four national parks. They take up about 3.2% of the Latvian territory.

Name Founded Territory (km²)

Gaujas National

park

1973 917,45

Ķemeru National

Park

1997 406,92

Rāznas National

Park

2007 596,15

Slīteres National

Park

1999 163,6

Latvian nature reserves

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Latvian is the four nature reserves. They take up about 0.4% of the Latvian territory.

Name Founded Territory (km²)

Grīņu Nature Reserve

193

6

14,55

Krustkalnu Nature

Reserve

1977 29,15

Moricsalas Nature Reserve 1912 8,18

Teiču Nature Reserve 1982 193,37

Gaujas National Park

Gauja National Park is the largest and oldest Latvian

National Park, founded in 1973. on the 14th september. The

park is located in Vidzeme. The area is 91,745 ha. Gauja

National Park was created to protect the existing animal and

plant species. Gauja National Park is the most popular

tourist destination outside the Latvian capital region.

Flora and fauna

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47% of the park area is covered by forests. The main forest

types in the deciduous, pine forest and spruce forest. River

valleys grows in deciduous and mixed forests.

Gauja National Park found nearly 900 species of plants and

ferns. The park area found 48 mammals, 149 birds, 5

reptiles, 8 amphibians and 2 species of cyclostomes.

The park area is home to several lakes. The largest is Lake

Ungurs - 393,6 ha, but deepest lake Kaņepu - 18 m.

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Fauna and Flora

Hedgehog

Lynx

Elk

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Wild pig

Fox

Wolf

Birds

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White wagtail

White stork

Lapwing

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Crane

Green Hoodie

Grouse

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Hoopoe

Duck

Rowan

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Chestnut

Birch

Oak

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Lime

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National Parks in France

France has 10 national parks within its territory, including 3 overseas territories. Each space is bringing a natural, cultural and landscape

exception.

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Parc national des Calanques Création du parc : 18 avril 2012

Location

Department : Bouches du Rhône Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Commons: 3 heart (Marseille, Cassis and La Ciotat) and 3 membership (Marseille, Cassis and La Penne-sur-Huveaune) area

Biodiversity: 140 terrestrial plant and animal species protected; 60 heritage marine species.

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Parc national des Cévennes Création du parc : 2 septembre 1970

Location Departments: Lozère (48) Gard (30) and Ardeche (07)

Region: Languedoc-Roussillon and Rhone Alps Commons: 152 (55 partially Heart Park)

Flora : rich and diverse (11,000 species, 2,250 flowering plants), with remarkable and endemic plant associations, particularly in

peatlands Mont Lozère and Mont Aigoual in the pseudo-steppe caussenarde, unique in France, and in the anthropogenic Cevennes

chestnut. Fauna: 2410 species of vertebrates, 45% and 2/3 of mammals

that are found in France. 20 bat species on 30 recencés in France.

Many raptors highly threatened: golden eagle, short-toed Jean-le-Blanc, peregrine falcon, great horned owl ... Site privileged

location of griffon vulture, Egyptian monk, and the bearded vulture.

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Situation Department: Hautes-Alpes (05) and Isère (38)

Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Rhône-Alpes Common: 61 (including 26 partially Heart Park)

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situation

Departments: Alpes-Maritimes (06) and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04)

Region: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Common: 28 (27 partially in the heart of the park)

Flora: the highest diversity at the national level with 2,000 species of plants, including 200 rare and 30 endemic.

Fauna: 58 species of mammals - including seven wild ungulates found in France and the wolf - and 153 species of birds, unique encounters with the world as the Siberian boreal owl or owl little Duke of North

Africa.

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situation Department: Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) and the Hautes-Pyrénées (65

Region: Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrenees Common: 86 (including 16 partially Heart Park)

Flora: 1200 species recorded, of which 107 are protected.

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Wildlife: 2600 ibex, chamois 6000, 125 breeding bird species - twenty pairs of golden eagles and three pairs of bearded.

FAUNA IN MERCANTOUR NATIONAL PARC

Mammals

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REPTILE

INSECT

BIRDS

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Fishs

RIVER

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.

FLORA IN MERCANTOUR NATIONAL PARC AND COASTLINE

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NATIONAL PARKS IN SPAIN (CACERES REGION)

Monfragüe is roughly in the centre of the province of Cáceres,

at the confluence of the rivers Tajo and Tiétar. It is at present the only

National Park in Extremadura, with 18,118 ha under this protection. The

park and its immediate surrounding area, a total of 116,151 ha, are protected

by the Natura 2000 network as a SPA. The centre of the park consists of

several small, parallel mountain ranges, between which flows the River Tajo.

The River Tiétar and other lesser watercourses carve out deep gorges as they

flow towards the Tajo, creating a spectacular system of rocky cliffs in which

a huge number of birds breed. Nowadays the river courses are dammed up by

the reservoirs of Alcántara, Torrejón-Tajo and Torrejón-Tiétar.

Despite the area’s low height, the uneven relief and the water

barrier has meant that areas of Mediterranean forest and scrubland of

extremely high value in terms of their fauna and flora have been conserved.

But what really gives the area its value are the large dehesa areas that extend

to the north and south of the National Park, providing an abundant food

supply for Monfragüe’s most valuable birds.

Fauna and flora in Extramadura

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National Parks in

Sicily-Italy

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Etna Park

Etna Park was the first Park established in Sicily in March 1987. And

not by chance. As a matter of fact, Etna is not only the highest active volcano

in Europe, but also a mountain with recent lava flows where no form of life

has settled yet and very ancient lava flows housing natural fomations of

Austrian pines, beech trees, and birches.

To protect this unique and extraordinary landscape marked by the

presence of man, Etna Park has been divided into four areas.

In the "A" area, 19,000 ha that are almost all public property, there are

no human settlements. It is the area of the big uncontaminated spaces, the

realm of big birds of prey like the Golden Eagle.

The "B" area, 26,000 ha, is partly formed by small private agricultural

lots and is characterized by wonderful examples of rural houses, shelters for

animals, palm groves, and noble houses witnessing the ancient and current

human presence. Besides the "A" and "B" Park areas, there is a pre-Park area

in the "C" and "D" areas: 14,000 ha, to guarantee the presence of eventual

tourist facilities in the respect of the safeguard of landscape and nature.

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Valle del Leone

Etna with lava fountain from the south-eastern crater

Snow-clad steaming Etna

Fauna

About one and a half century ago, Galvagni, describing the wildlife of

Etna, talked about the presence of animals which nowadays have almost

disappeared such as wolves, wild boars, fallow deer, and deer. The opening

of new roads, deforestation, and hunting activities contributed to the

extinction of these big mammals and continue to threaten the life of other

species. In spite of this, porcupines, foxes, wild cats, martens, rabbits, and

hares can be seen on the volcano together with weasels, hedgehogs, dormice,

and several species of mice and bats.

In the area, many bird species live. In particular, birds of prey which

witness the existence of large uncontaminated sites. Among the diurnal birds

of prey, there are sparrow-hawks, buzzards, kestrels, peregrines, and the

golden eagle. The nocturnal birds of prey include the barn owl, the scops owl,

the tawny owl, and the long-eared owl. Herons, ducks, and other aquatic

birds can be observed in Gurrida Lake, the one and only stretch of water in

the mountain area of Etna.

In the woodlands, it is possible to sight jays, rock pigeons, and the rock

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partridge, as well as many song birds like the warbler, the tit, the cuckoo, and

many others. In the upper areas, around the lava fields, the wheatear will

surprise you with its rapid and irregular flying style. Among the various

snake species populating the woodland with green lizards and lizards, the

most dangerous snake is the viper, whose presence has increased in recent

years because of a decrease in its predators. The world of insects is also

worth a mention: butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, bees, etc. with

their essential role in the ecological balance.

Flora

The vegetation of Etna Park is characterized by a series of factors,

first of all the volcanic nature of the mountain. The Park flora is extremely

rich and varied, and shapes the landscape with its continuous changes. This

depends on the compactness of the soil and the continous changes in the

substrate due to different lava flows, as well as on the variability of the

temperature and rainfall in relation to altitude and slopes. In the lower areas,

once characterized by holm oak forests, there are vineyards, hazelnut tree

groves, oak forests, apple and chestnut tree orchards. At 2,000m asl or even

higher, it is possible to find the beech tree, reaching in Sicily its southernmost

distribution limit, and the birch, considered by most of the authors an

endemic species.

Beyond the woodlands, the landscape changes and gives way to astragalus

formations offering shelter to other mountain plants, like senecio, violets, and

cerastium. Beyond the limit of astragalus, between 2,450 and 3,000m asl,

there are a very few elements able to survive in the harsh environmental

conditions of Mt. Etna. Beyond this level and up to the summit, no vegetable

species can survive.

Alcantara River Park

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The first evidences of human settlements in the valley date bake to the

late Copper Age/beginning of the Ancient Bronze Age (necropolis in Marca).

After the arrival of the Greeks in Naxos in 735 BC, the Sicilians were forced

to look for shelter in the hinterland: some time after the area of Francavilla

housed a Calcidese colony, of which we know the rich sanctuary of Demetra

and Kore (6th century BC).

Flora

Flora

The 48 km of river Alcantara, developing among Nebrodi, Etna, and

Peloritani Mountains, are characterized by river or torrent environments,

mesoxerophilous vegetation, and rural areas.

Riparian vegetation

Semi-submerged hydrophytic plants

Citrus tree area (lower-medium valley)

Freshwater crab

Fauna

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The morphological differences characterizing the river environment

allow different animal species to populate it. In the mountain area, near the

spring and at the confluence with Nebrodi Park, it is not rare to sight brids of

prey reaching the Alcantara in search of food.

Mammals

Birds

Reptiles

Amphibians

Osteichthyes

Invertebrates

River Alcantara

Madonie Park

The naturalistic, historical, and artistic heritage of the area is of

considerable importance. In a context characterized by harsh mountains

facing the Sicilian sea, the human signs still represent the evidence of a

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millenary presence (Prehistory) which in some cases has been handed down

in current activities. The territory is scattered with several religious buildings,

monasteries, hermitages, and churches, often isolated on the top of the

mountains. Along the watercourses you will find abandoned mills which,

together with the old farmsteads (the so-called "masserie") often built on the

more ancient ruins of Roman farmhouses, witness the ability of a culture to

live in symbiosis with nature.

In the Madonie there are the most ancient rocks of Sicily, dating back

to the Triassic period. The several fossils of lamellibranchs, algae, and

sponges found in the calcareous areas of the mountain chain are an evidence

of it. The highest and most spectacular peaks of the chain are: Pizzo

Carbonara (1,979m), Monte San Salvatore (1,912m), Monte Ferro (1,906m),

Monte Ouacella (1,869m), Monte dei Cervi (1,656m). Although they are part

of the same complex, each of them has a different aspect. Gentle or harsh,

covered in vegetation or bare, they are scattered over the territory shaping

valleys, plateaus, cliffs, and gentle hills. In the Madonie - which cover only

the 2% of the surface of the island, there are more than a half of the Sicilian

vegetable species, among which endemic species.

The area of the Madonie with its geomorphological and climatic

features leads to the identification of three different areas: the coastal strip of

the northern slope, protected by the African winds and covered by thick

woods, centuries-old olive groves, cork tree woods, chestnut tree woods, ash

trees, oak woods made of Downy oak and the holly nuclei of Piano Pomo. On

the contrary, the large mountain chain preserves the woods of ilex and beech

trees, and is characterized by several endemic species, among which Abies

Nebrodensis, a relict of ancient glaciation. The southern and sunny slope,

bare or luxuriant and mild in the changing succession of the seasons is "The

aspect of real Sicily; however, it is also a gentle series of mountain and hilly

slopes cultivated with wheat and barley.

Fauna

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It is impossible to make an exhaustive list of the mammals, birds,

reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates populating this territory. Some data

can however give an idea of the value of this heritage - both as far as quantity

and quality are concerned. Madonie house all the mammal species living in

Sicily, about the 70% of the nesting birds, and about the 60% of the

invertebrates of the island. Among them, there are several endemic, rare, and

protected species.

Wild Boar

Fallow Deer

Italian Hare

European Hedgehog

Red Fox

Flora

If you enter Madonie Park and reach its central area, you can grasp

landscape features linked to the local vegetation, rich and diversified, also

considering the extension and orographic articulation of the territory which

includes altitudes going from a few meters above sea level to altitudes

reaching the 2,000m. A crossroads for botanists and researchers, Madonie

Park is the cradle of a vegetal variety unique in the world. This aspect

characterizes a mountain chain including an area which is considered a "real

botanic barden in the middle of the Mediterranean".

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Nebrodi Park

Nebrodi Mountains, together with Madonie in the west and Peloritani

in the east, form Appennino siculo (Sicilian Apennines). They face in the

north the Tyrrheanian Sea, while their southern border is marked by the Etna,

in particular by the river Alcantara and by the high course of the Simeto. The

main elements characterizing the natural landscape of Nebrodi are the

asymmetry of each slope, the different shaping of the relief, the very rich

vegetation, and the wetlands. The essential peculiarity of the orographic

situation is the gentleness of the relief deriving from the presence of wide

banks of clayey-arenaceous rocks: the peaks, reaching with Mt. Soro the

maximum height of 1,847 meters a.s.l., have rounded slopes and open in wide

valleys crossed by many rivers flowing into the Tyrrheanian Sea. Where the

limestone prevail, the landscape presents dolomitic aspects, with irregular

profiles and harsh forms with many fissures. It is the case of Monte

San Fratello and, above all, Rocche del Crasto (1,315 meters a.s.l).

Finally, it is important to underline the widespread process of progressive

acculturation of the Park's territory, which led throughout the centuries to the

transformation of Nebrodi from a natural to a cultural landscape.

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Further information (Italian text)

Maulazzo Lake Wild peony (Paeonia mascula)

Flora

The Arabians defined the Nebrodi as "an island within the island": the

reason will become clear to the visitor the first time he/she will set about a

visit to this surprising territory: its richness in charming woods, high

mountain green pastures, silent lakes, and flowing streams clashes with the

more common image of a dry and sunburnt Sicily. If you leave the coast and

you climb the mountains, it is possible to immediately recognize precise

vegetational levels depending not only on the altitude distribution but also on

the singular physical factors that, together with temperature and abundant

rain and snow, determine favorable ecological conditions. The Mediterranean

level (from the sea-level up to 600-800 meters) is characterized by the typical

evergreen Mediterranean maquis, where the Spurge, the Myrtle, the Lentisk,

and the Broom dominate and where you can find narrow leaf arboreal

elements like the Strawberry Tree, the Cork Oak and the Ilex. The cork

plantation (interesting formations can be mainly found in the territory of

Caronia) is present in its original state when the climate and the soil are

favorable; however, it mainly appears together with other species like the Ilex

and the Downy oak with a thick underwood.

Above the 800 meters of height and up to the 1,200-1,400 meters

a.s.l., there is the supramediterranean level, where the deciduous oaks grow.

Among the several species, we quote the widespread Downy oak, Sessile

oak, Quercus gussonei, which form more or less large groups depending on

the geological substrata and the exposure of the slopes. The Turkey oak is

also widespread; it dominates in the coolest areas, especially with a north

exposure.

Above the 1,200-1,400 meters of height, on the mountain-Mediterranean

level, there are the beech woods, marvellous wood formations covering the

whole ridge of Nebrodi for more than 10,000 hectares and characterizing

environments of great value for their naturalistic aspects and their landscape.

At the highest altitudes, the Beech is almost the only one growing species:

only some rare specimens of Sycamore maple, Maple, and Ash tree are

present. Among the species of the undergrowth there are the Holly, the

Butcher's-broom, the Hawthorn, the Daphne, and the Yew, a relict species

surviving in very localized microclimatic conditions.

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Fauna

If in the past they were the kingdom of yearlings, (as well as of fallow

deer, bears, and roe deer), Nebrodi (whose name derives from the Greek

nebros, meaning yearling) still are the richest part of Sicily in fauna, despite

the progressive environmental impoverishment. The last wolves were killed

at the end of the 1920s and the bearded vultures, which flew above Rocche

del Crasto, disappeared at the beginning of the 60s because of the poisoned

bites scattered over the territory to kill foxes. Thanks to its great

environmental variety, Nebrodi Park houses rich and complex wildlife

communities: there are several small mammals, reptiles and amphibians,

many species of nesting and migratory birds, a huge number of invertebrates.

The first group includes the Porcupine (Hystrix cristata), the Wildcat (Felis

sylvestris), and the Marten (Martes martes), all very rare species; among the

reptiles there are the Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) and in particular,

the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis); finally, the amphibians include

the Painted frog (Discoglossus pictus) and the Edible frog (Rana esculenta).

In the Nebrodi, about 150 species of birds have been classified; among them

there are some very interesting endemic species, like the Sicilian Marsh tit

(Parus palustris siculus) and the Sicilian Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus

siculus). The open areas at the edge of the woods are populated by many

birds of prey, like the Buzzard (Buteo buteo), the Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus),

the Lanner (Falco biarmicus), the Red kite (Milvus milvus), and the Peregrine

(Falco peregrinus), while the harsh rocky areas rich in fissures of Rocche del

Crasto are the kingdom of the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). The Little

grebe (Podiceps ruficollis), the Coot (Fulica atra), the Grey wagtail

(Motacilla cinerea), the Dipper (Cinclus cinclus), and the Kingfisher (Alcedo

atthis) prefer the wetlands, while in the pasture zones it is not difficult to

sight the rare Sicilian Rock partridge (Alectoris graeca whitakeri), the

unmistakable erectile tuft of the Hoopoe (Upupa epops), and the powerful

flight of the Raven (Corvus corax). Among the migratory avifauna, the

Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) and the Grey heron (Ardea

cinerea) are worth a mention. The invertebrate fauna is very rich. Recent

researches have led to surprising results: out of the 600 registered species

concerning a small part of the existing fauna, 100 are new in Sicily, 25 are

new in Italy, and 22 are new to science. Among the most relevant forms from

the point of view of the landscape, butterflies (over 70 species) and Carabids

(over 120 species) are worth a mention.

Moreover, within the territory of the Park there are many specimens

of Sanfratellano horses; native to these mountains, they are a precious breed

for their characteristic features and their limited number.

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It is the horse of Nebrodi, which has become the object of important

scientific studies in the last decades and more and more relevant among the

horse breeds.

NATIONAL PARKS OF ROMANIA

Romania is situated in the southeastern part of Central Europe and

shares borders with Hungary to the northwest, Serbia to the southwest,

Bulgaria to the south, the Black Sea to the southeast, Ukraine to the east and

to the north and the Republic of Moldova to the east.

Located halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, Romania is

the 12th largest country in Europe having a population of about 20 million

people.

Romania’s terrain is almost evenly divided between mountains, hills

and plains.Romania's territory features splendid mountains, beautiful rolling

hills, fertile plains and numerous rivers and lakes. The Carpathian Mountains

traverse the centre of the country bordered on both sides by foothills and

finally the great plains of the outer rim. Forests cover over one quarter of the

country and the fauna is one of the richest in Europe including bears, deer,

lynx, chamois and wolves. The legendary Danube River ends its eight-

country journey at the Black Sea, after forming one of the largest and most

biodiverse wetlands in the world, the Danube Delta.

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About a third of the country consists of the Carpathian Mountains

(also known as the Transylvanian Alps). Another third is hills and plateaus,

rich with orchards and vineyards. The final third is a fertile plain, largely

devoted to agriculture.

Although not as high as the Alps, the Carpathian Mountains extend

over 600 miles in Romania, in the shape of an arch. They are divided into

three major ranges: the Eastern (Oriental) Carpathians, the Southern

Carpathians (also known as the Transylvanian Alps), and the Western

Carpathians. Each of these ranges feature a variety of landscapes, due to the

different types of terrain (glacial, karstic, structural, and volcanic).

98% of the Romania’s rivers spring from the Carpathian Mountains.

The upper streams are usually more spectacular, featuring numerous gorges,

caves and precipices. The main rivers in Romania are Mures (473 miles on

Romania's territory), Prut (461 miles on Romania's territory), Olt (382 miles),

Siret (347 miles on Romania's territory), Ialomita (259 miles), Somes (233

miles on Romania's territory) and Arges (217 miles). In the east, river waters

are collected by Siret and Prut rivers. In the south, waters flow directly into

the Danube and in the west most of them are collected by Tisa River.

Europe’s second longest river, the Danube, flows through southern

Romania forming part of the country’s frontier with Serbia, Bulgaria and

Ukraine. Its blue waters run along 621 miles, from Bazias to the Black Sea.

Virtually all of the country's rivers are tributaries to the Danube, either

directly or indirectly.

There are around 3,500 lakes in Romania, most of them small or

medium.

The largest are the lagoons and coastal lakes on the Black Sea shore, such as

Razim (164 sq. miles) and Sinoe (66 sq. miles), or lakes along the Danube

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bank - Oltina (8.5 sq. miles); Brates (8.1 sq. miles).Formed at the end of the

last Ice Age, the glacial lakes in the Carpathian Mountains are small, but

spectacular. Worth mentioning are the glacial lakes in the Retezat Mountains:

Zanoaga, the deepest lake in the country (95 feet) and Bucura, the largest

(24.7 acres) as well as the lakes located in the Transylvanian Alps (Balea,

Capra, Caltun, Podragu).Lake St. Ana, located in Ciomatu Mare Massif, near

Tusnad is the only volcanic lake in Romania, sheltered in a perfectly

preserved crater and surrounded by vast fir-tree forests. The lake is solely fed

by rain. Therefore, its waters are nearly as pure as distilled water. The Red

Lake (elevation 3,215 feet), located in the Hasmas Massif, near Bicaz

Gorges, is unique in shape and landscape. It is a natural dam lake created in

1837 after a major landslide. The name “Lacul Rosu” (Red Lake) comes from

the reddish alluvia deposited by its main tributary.

Danube River ends its journey of almost 1864 miles through Europe

in south-eastern Romania. Here the river divides into 3 frayed branches

(Chilia, Sulina, Sfântu Gheorghe) forming the Danube Delta. It is the newest

land in the country, with beaches expanding almost 65 feet into the sea every

year. Overall, the delta is a triangular swampy area of marshes, floating reed

islands and sandbanks. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reservation as well as a

protected wetland and natural habitat for rare species of plants and animals.

The Romanian Black Sea Coast stretches a little over 150 miles.

The Black Sea is a continental sea, with a low tide and salinity and water

temperatures of 77 - 79˚F in the summertime. Its wide, sandy beaches facing

east and south-east become a major tourist attraction from May until

September.

Due to its varied terrain and climate Romania has a diverse flora and

fauna.

Over 3,700 species of plants and 33,792 species of animals can be found in

Romania. Oak, beech, elm, ash, maple and linden made up 71 percent of

Romania’s forests while conifers (fir, spruce, pine and larch) account for the

remaining 29 percent.

The mighty Danube River flows 1,788 miles from its springs in

Germany’s Black Forest to the Black Sea. Just before reaching the sea it

forms the second largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas: 2,200 square

miles of rivers, canals, marshes, tree-fringed lakes and reed islands. The

Danube Delta is a wildlife enthusiast’s (especially a bird watcher’s) paradise.

The Danube Delta is comprised of an intricate network of waterways

and lakes divided between the three main estuary channels of the Danube.

This area of floating reed islands, forests, pastures and sand dunes covers

3,000 square miles and is home to a fascinating mix of cultures and people as

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well as a vast array of wildlife. Located at the tip of the three channels,

Tulcea makes a great starting point for exploring the Danube Delta.

Romania’s national and natural parks, displaying a unique variety of

landscapes, vegetation and wildlife, protect some of the largest remaining

areas of pristine forest in Europe. Grasslands, gorges, subterranean caves,

volcanic lakes, and extensive river network add to the richness of the park

system that also includes the Danube Delta, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

and Europe’s largest wetland.The maze of canals bordered by thatch, willows

and oaks entangled in lianas, offers the perfect breeding ground for countless

species of birds, some of them from as far away as China and Africa.

Millions of Egyptian white pelicans arrive here every spring to raise their

young, while equal numbers of Arctic geese come here to escape the harsh

winters of Northern Europe.

Some 300 species of birds make Danube’s Delta their home, including

cormorants, white tailed eagles and glossy ibises. The bird watching season

lasts from early spring to late summer. Birds are not the only inhabitants of

the Delta. There is also a rich community of fish and animals; from wildcats,

foxes and wolves, to even an occasional boar or deer. Altogether, 3,450

animal species can be seen here, as well as 1,700 plant species.

Formed over a period of more than 10,000 years, the Danube Delta

continues to grow due to the 67 million tons of alluvia deposited every year

by the Danube River. The Delta is formed around the three main channels of

the Danube, named after their respective ports: Chilia (in the north), Sulina

(in the middle), and Sfantu Gheorghe (in the south).The Danube Delta

Biosphere Reserve has the third largest biodiversity in the world (over 5,500

flora and fauna species), exceeded only by the Great Barrier Reef in Australia

and the Galapagos Archipelago in Ecuador.

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The Danube Delta is home to over 60% of the world’s population of

pygmy cormorants (phalacrocorax pygmeus), 50% of red-breasted geese

(branta ruficollis) and the largest number of white pelicans (pelecanus

onocrotalus) and Dalmatian pelicans (pelecanus crispus) in Europe.It also is

home to the world’s largest reed bed expanse– 625, 000 acres / 240,000 ha.

Some 15,000 people inhabit the Delta area, living in 28 villages and one city

(Sulina). The area was first attested by Herodot of Halicarnas (484 – 425

B.C.). More then half of the Delta Biosphere Reserve is virtually intact.

National parks encompass extensive areas of particular geographical

interest or outstanding natural beauty. They have an important conservation

role and offer protection to many rare species of animals and plants. In

addition to nature conservation, Romania’s natural parks also play an

important role in preserving local customs, traditional crafts, historical

settlement patterns, and regional architecture.

Most of Romania’s national parks have arrangements for outdoor

activities with a network of marked paths and trails and overnight

accommodation in either staffed lodges or local guesthouses. In vulnerable

areas where it is desirable to limit the impact of visitors, paths and

accommodation are minimal.

National Parks

Cheile Bicazului (Bicazului Gorges) – Hasmas

Calimani

Ceahlau

Cozia

Domogled – Valea Cernei (Cerna Valley)

Muntii Macin (Macin Mountains)

Cheile Nerei (Nerei Gorges) – Beusnita

Piatra Craiului

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Retezat

Muntii Rodnei (Rodnei Mountains)

Cheile Semenic - Carasului (Semenic – Carasului Gorges)

Buila-Vanturarita

Nature Parks

Apuseni

Balta Mica a Brailei (Small Moor of Braila)

Bucegi

Comana

Gradistea Muncelului-Cioclovina

Lunca Muresului

Muntii Maramuresului (Maramures Mountains)

Portile de Fier (Iron Gates)

Vanatori Neamt

Romania's natural areas captured scientific attention early in the 20th

century. The first law on environment protection was passed in 1930; the first

forest reservation (Domogled-Baile Herculane) was set up in 1932, the first

National Park (Retezat) in 1935 and the first geological reservation (Detunata

Goala - Apuseni Mountains) was recognized in 1938.

Piatra Craiului Natural Park features the longest and highest

limestone ridge in the country (over 15 miles long and 6560 ft. high).

Bordered by glacial lakes, the ridge is regarded as one of the most beautiful

sights in the Carpathians. The two-day north–south ridge trail is both

challenging and rewarding. Starting at either Plaiul Foii in the northwest

or Curmatura in the northeast, hikers climb up to the ridge along the narrow

spine of the range. The descent at the southern end leads into a karst

landscape of deep gorges and pitted slopes where water penetrating the rock

has carved a series of caves. Sheltering one of the largest biodiversity of

wildlife in the country, the national park is home to about 300 fungi species,

220 lichen species, 100 different mosses, and 1100 species of superior plants

(a third of the number of all plant species found in Romania). On the high

cliffs there are chamois, wild boar, red and roe deer, pine martens and red

squirrels. Some 270 butterflies species, 110 birds species, 17 bats species,

many large carnivores (wolfs, brown bears, lynx) can be observed in the park.

The gorges are a good place to see wallcreepers and alpine swifts, three-toed

and white-backed woodpeckers and Ural owls in the forested areas.

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Hiking in Retezat National Park you may well lose your breath, not

from the climb, but from the breathtaking views of nature at her wildest.

Peaks of differing heights, many topping the 8,028 ft. mark (such as Peleaga

Peak), provide hikers with plenty of challenges. Local communities and

cultural sights from around the park area add a special value to that of the

landscape and the biodiversity inside the park. Wildlife enthusiasts will find

here many species of animals, including chamois, red and roe deer, wild boar,

bear, wolf, and fox, and may come across lynx tracks. Otters find themselves

at home in the park's rivers. Chaffinch, song thrush, ring ouzel, red-breasted

flycatcher, chiffchaff, nutcracker and the rare golden eagle, leaser spotted

eagle, eagle owl, pigmy owl, crag martin, scarlet rosefinch, three toed

woodpecker, horned lark are among the 120 nesting bird species of Retezat.

Retezat National Park was included in the Important Bird Areas

Network. Butterflies are abundant in Retezat, in number and species, and

specialists designated two Prime Butterfly Areas here.

CEAHLĂU NATIONAL PARK

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Surrounded by watercourses and dam lakes, Ceahlau Mountain, the

Olympus of Romania, displays an incredible concentration of flora - over

2,000 flower species, and wildlife. Fossil limestone, the rock formations

Dochia, Cusma Dorobantului, and the Duruitoarea waterfall are just some of

the main attractions in the park. The park is bounded to the east by the

Bistrita River and Lake Bicaz, and to the south by the Bicaz River.

Some of the most exciting Romanian legends refer to the strange

stone shapes spread around the peaks in the park. The Dochia rock

formations are said to represent a mean old woman ("baba") who came on

Ceahlau to feed her sheep. Deceived by the sunny days of early spring, she

took off, one by one, all her nine-sheepskin waistcoats. When the frost came,

it turned both her and her animals into ice, which over the years transformed

into the stones we see now. ver 90 species of birds can be seen in the Ceahlau

National Park. The capercaillie (Tetrao urogalus), the biggest among the

birds in the park, can be seen in Piciorul Schiop and Poiana Maicilor, during

the mating period in April. With a little luck you can also spot in the same

area: the three clawed wod-pecker (Picoides tridactylus) a glacial relict, and

the wall creeper (Tichodorma muraria). The raven (Corvus corax) usually

builds its nest in the high areas of the mountain.

Among the rare birds nesting in the park are the cliff butterfly (a bird

that could be found also in Cheile Sugaului and in Cheile Bicazului), the

aquila (Aquila chrysaeltus) and the mountain cock (cocosul de munte).

The park is also home to the black goat (Rupicapra rupicapra), which

has been colonized here, the lynx (Lynx lynx), the wolf (Canis lupus), the fox

(Canis vulpes), the brown bear (Ursus arctos) and the pine marten (Martes

martes). The elk (Cervus elaphus var. carpathicus) - monument of nature and

the most valuable species of Ceahlau - can be admired in: Izvorul Alb, Poiana

Maicilor, and Izvoarele Bistrei Mari.

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CĂLIMANI NATIONAL PARK

Massive eruptive rocks and craters of old volcanoes in the Calimani

National Park (Parcul National Calimani) are spawned over breathtaking

landscapes, matched by the presence of large areas of natural ecosystems and

the abundance of Swiss stone pine and juniper trees.

The Calimani Mountains features the

highest massif in the Romanian volcanic chain, the Pietrosu Peak (standing at

6896 ft.).

The natural erosion process in the volcanic plateau has led to the

formation of the unusual shaped12 Apostles (Cei 12 Apostoli), Red

Stones (Pietrele Rosii) andNefertiti geological reserves. For those interested

in botany, Calimani National Park makes it possible to observe 774 species of

plants, many of them marked as rare: alpine leek (Allium victorialis),

narcissus anemone (Anemone narcissifolia), and mountains soldanella

(Soldanella Montana). In juniper tree forests or on soils of volcanic nature,

the rose bay (Rhododendron myrtifolium) is frequently encountered.

Calimani National Park is home to several endangered species,such

as: the bear (Ursus arctos), the elk (cervus elaphus), the wild boar (sus

scrofa), the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), the wolf (Canis lupus), the tree

marten (Martes martes) and the lynx (Lynx lynx). The cedar forest and

juniper trees area on the western slope of the Calimani Mountain is home to

the black grouse (Tetrao tetrix), a very rare species in Romania.

Threats

Carbon footprint, global warming, deforestation are threats to the

Earth's environment. When a region loses its biodiversity, it becomes more

vulnerable to other environmental elements.Deforestation disrupts the natural

balance of ecological systems in the area where the trees have been harvested

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and far beyond. Food production can be impacted due to drought and erosion

directly linked to the loss of forests.

Chemicals and chlorofluorocarbons pollutants are created by industry

and agriculture. They have a negative impact the ozone layer. The lack of

strict enforcement of laws to prevent the use of such pollutants compounds

the situation. World governments that continue to allow various pollutants

into the environment impede the recovery of the ozone layer.

Acid rain is created by excessive sulfuric and nitric acid being

pumped into the atmosphere, rivers, oceans, and land. While some acid rain

is the byproduct of the natural processes of decaying vegetation and volcanic

activity, the current crisis comes directly from the burning of fossil fuels.

Water becomes toxic when acid rain imbues the oceans or lakes with an

absorption quality that cause the water to absorb soil-based aluminum and

poisons the aquatic plant and marine life.

The oceans' eco-systems are dependent upon the natural process of

organic ocean matter known as phytoplankton, which is found on ocean

surfaces. This eventually breaks down and filters to the bottom of the ocean

floor where it's broken down further by ocean floor bacteria. This process is

called bacterial respiration.When too much nitrogen feeds the phytoplankton,

like any fertilized crop, it begins to overproduce. The bacteria are unable to

break down the plankton fast enough and the chemical processes that convert

carbon dioxide into oxygen can't keep up. The oxygen is used up quicker than

it can be produced. The plankton chokes out the flow of water and oxygen so

that marine and plant life die from the lack of oxygen.

An alarming rate of species extinction is happening worldwide. As of

2010, the rate of loss is estimated to be more than 1,000 times the normal

rate. Greater preservation tactics and strategies are needed with laws put into

place to protect species. Once more, manmade pollution is the culprit along

with land encroachment by developers. Both causes are created by consumer

demands as people branch out into areas that were once remote habitats for

various species.More and more animals and other forms of wildlife are being

added to the endangered species list each year. It makes sense to become

better land stewards, instead of encroaching on forests and wetlands.

A growing world population might seem like an obvious threat to the

environment that goes far beyond the debatable theory of global warming.

The bigger threat is far more complex and directly linked not to the

controversial idea of a carbon footprint, but to the unique system of supply

and demand.

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Consumers place more and more demands on the earth's natural

resources as the population increases year after year. These demands leave

pollution and waste in the wake of human daily activity. Compound this with

each world government doing its own brand of commerce, many without

environmental consciences, and you get the formula for environmental chaos

and disaster.

A prime example of higher consumption demands can be found in the

fishery industry, where the world's marine life is being harvested with few to

no renewable methods in place. Consumers are also responsible via industry

for hundreds of hazardous chemicals used in the production of various

products. Heavy metals continue to contaminate land, water and air.

The power of a consumer can be mighty when each person in the

world realizes that action can be taken and changes made by carefully

choosing how consumer money is spent.

Conclusions on environmental protection

Environmental protection is influenced by three interwoven factors:

environmental legislation, ethics and education. Each of these factors plays

its part in influencing national-level environmental decisions and personal-

level environmental values and behaviors. For environmental protection to

become a reality, it is important for societies to develop each of these areas

that, together, will inform and drive environmental decisions.

Clearly the responsibility for protecting the environment rests with the

individual. For example, you may choose recycled products and recycle the

products you no longer want or use organic cleaning products and buy other

organic items as much as possible. Be careful with the amount of electricity

that you use in your home and work place! Shop locally and try not to have

items shipped from long distances. There are many more things that each

person can do to limit the amount of air pollution they create. Making a few

small changes every month can result in a cleaner environment over a long

period of time. At the very least, you will know that you are doing your part.

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PPRRZZEEDDSSZZKKOOLLEE SSAAMMOORRZZAADDOOWWEE

WW ZZPPOO WW WWOOLLII FFIILLIIPPOOWWSSKKIIEEJJ

NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKKSS OOFF PPOOLLAANNDD

Poland is among the most diverse European countries in respect of its nature.

From the Baltic coastline in the north through the lake district, lowlands and

highlands to mountain ranges in the south one can find areas of dominant

wild life. Many such places, like the Białowieża National Park or Biebrza

National Park, are natural gems of Europe and of the world. The most

valuable areas are subject to national park protection. Poland lists twenty

three national parks. All of them are accessible for tourists and their tourist

infrastructure is of very good quality.

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TTHHEE BBAABBIIAA GGÓÓRRAA NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The Babia Góra National Park is located in

Beskid Żywiecki, about 90 kilometres to the

south-west of Cracow. Babia Góra National

Park is a mountain park with the highest summit

being Babia Góra (1725 meters above sea level).

One of the reasons of creation of the National Park in 1954 was a model

layout of plant layers. In this respect, Babia Góra is a model mountain,

perfect for mountain studies. When climbing to the top of Babia Góra, in

short time we can see all plant layers well-known from geography classes:

from arable land, through beech forests, beech and spruce forests, and with

increased height only spruce forest, which is later replaced by dwarf

mountain pine. The top belt is the alpine layer with scree formations, slightly

decorated with grasslands and lichen. The landscape is great especially in the

transitional zone between the forest and dwarf mountain pine. In winter,

hundreds of dwarf spruce trees covered with a thick layer of hoar frost and

snow create an unforgettable landscape of snow sculpture galleries.

The animal world of Babia Góra is very rich. As far as large mammals are

concerned, you can encounter bears, which, together with lynx, like

especially the southern slopes. Wolves, deer, foxes and badgers also live in

the forests. Among birds, a special attention should be paid to the

capercaillie, almost extinct species. The capercaillie is a bird from

Galliformes order also known as the “wood grouse”. There are more than 120

bird species in the Babia Góra National Park as: black grouse, owls and rare

black stork.

The climate of the Babia Góra National Park is rough. There are often

unexpected weather changes. It is necessary to always remember about it

when going hiking in the mountains. Snow appears in October and stays until

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May. There is often an avalanche risk on northern slopes; that is why

northern tourist route (the “academic” route) is closed in the winter.

An interesting hydrological fact about the mountain is the watershed of Baltic

Sea and Black Sea basins crossing the ridge of Babia Góra. That means that a

rain drop falling on the northern slopes of the mountain goes to the Baltic

Sea, while falling on southern slopes, starts its descent to the Black Sea.

Thanks to the special natural values of the Babia Góra mountain range, this

National Park acquired the status of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977.

TTHHEE BBIIAAŁŁOOWWIIEEŻŻAA NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

If somebody wants to see a forest the way

it was hundreds years ago, they have to

visit Białowieża Forest. A visit to

Białowieża is a journey to the past when

Europe was covered with impenetrable

forests.

Białowieża Forest is the last primary compact forest complex. It is one of the

most important natural treasures not only in Poland, but also in Europe.

Therefore, in 1979 Białowieża Forest was included in the UNESCO World

Heritage List.

The Forest is located approx. 260 km to the east of Warsaw and approx. 70

km to the south-west of Białystok. Its most precious parts are protected

within Białowieża National Park. The forest is inhabited by a wide variety of

species, some of which grow to unusual sizes. The predominant forest types

are: a broadleaved and coniferous forests, and in humid locations, alder

swamp forests and riparian forests. A typical element of the forest landscape

is a large number of old fallen tree trunks. The forest landscape is formed

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best in a separated part of the National Park, to which the access is possible

only when accompanied by a licensed guide. Visiting Orłówka is a must

during each trip to Białowieża.

European bison is the symbol of Białowieża Forest. This biggest wild animal

in Europe is a close cousin of the American bison. The area of Białowieża

Forest is inhabited by a live few hundred of bison, gathering in smaller or

larger herds. It is called “the King of the Forest”, is a huge and dignified

animal and meeting it is always an important experience for a nature admirer.

A part of the National Park is a separate show reserve presenting European

bison. The show reserve is located near Białowieża by the road towards

Hajnówka. It is worth to visit the show reserve to closely observe the animals

which are very difficult to meet in the forest. Apart from the bison, you can

see wolves, elks, deer, and wild boars there. Another interesting animal

which you can find there is called żubroń, a hybrid of domestic cattle and

European bison. A visit in the show reserve may be advised to guests who do

not have much time for individual walks and would like to see the King of

the Forest with their own eyes.

TTHHEE BBIIEEBBRRZZAA NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The Biebrza National Park is located in

northeast Poland, between Łomża and

Augustów. A protective area covers almost the

entire Biebrza River, together with the valley

from the source down to the mouth of the Narew

River.

Biebrza Valley is a very important stopping place for birds during their

annual travel, and a location of nesting for many marsh bird species. Flora

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admirers can find protected rare plant species there, including 20 species of

orchid. Those who like to get up before sunrise should see an incredible

spectacle of the nature waking up – delicate fog wisps, clanging of cranes,

squawking of snipe and elk sighting. For those who prefer to sleep in the

morning, the nature begins its next spectacle several hours later when

predatory birds start hunting.

Ornithologists from all over the world visit the Biebrza National Park. Here,

they meet, exchange experience, together observe and discuss birds chirping

in the bushes. Bent over telescopes, they point out strange Latin names such

as: Acrocephalus paludicola, Picus canus, Numenius arquata or Cirrus

aeruginosus. Yet, before an ordinary tourist reaches such a level of expertise,

they are enchanted by huge, endless space of the Biebrza National Park. The

civilization accustomed us to a landscape which seems safe – you can see

almost always a house, a fence, a chimney or at least a pole nearby.

Meanwhile, you cannot find things like that here! As far as you can see –

only flat plain stretching to the horizon. At beginning it seems strange and

unnatural. Then, you can compare it to a prairie, a savannah, but these are

actually marshes and peat bogs spreading for dozens of vast kilometres. The

Biebrza National Park is the biggest national park in Poland, and one of the

biggest in Europe. It has almost 100 kilometres in a straight line, that is more

than Luxembourg from its north to south.

Additional attractions: An unconquered Russian fort in Osowiec.

TTHHEE BBIIEESSZZCCZZAADDYY NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The Bieszczady Mountains are one of the most

interesting regions in Poland when it comes to the

natural environment. Located far from civilization,

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at the southeast end of Poland, they still maintained their natural charm.

They are a cult location, a must see for every tourist who admires wild

nature, quiet and open stretches of land. Bieszczady forests are inhabited by

wolves, bears, European bisons and deer. You can meet a rare golden eagle

there. The Bieszczady National Park covers a significant part of the

mountains.

It has a unique landscape. The scenery is mountain and gentle at the same

time. The most characteristic element of this region are mountain pastures –

extensive meadows located in the top parts of the mountains. Thanks to the

mountain pastures, hiking in Bieszczady is easy and provides a tourist with

an incredibly attractive view. Panoramas are visible for dozens of kilometers.

In autumn, the pastures become golden. They look like prairies on a

mountain peaks. A long-hour hiking will be rewarded with a sip of żentyca (a

local drink made of fermented sheep milk whey) and a piece of sheep’s milk

cheese you can try in a shepherd’s hut. Bieszczady Mountains embody the

atmosphere of the past. In the second half of the 19th century there was “the

oil rush” in Bieszczady. Here is the first-ever oil extraction site in Bóbrka,

here worked Ignacy Łukasiewicz, the inventor of the kerosene lamp. The

atmosphere of the past is created by the shepherd communities. Sheep and

shepherds are an inherent element of this landscape. This is supplemented

with smoking retorts where charcoal is being produced. Wooden architecture

of Bieszczady’s Orthodox churches is also really impressive, and remnants of

Lemkos villages stand as a proof of the difficult war times that Bieszczady

encountered. The ride in a famous Bieszczady’s narrow-gauge steam train is

a big tourist attraction.

TTHHEE AARREEAA OOFF DDRRAAWWAA NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The area of Drawa National Park and its

neighbourhood lies in the a plain called Równina

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Drawska, which is a fragment of the lake district Pojezierze

Południowopomorskie, in the north-western part of Poland. It encompasses

for the central part of a forest complex called Drawa Wilderness (Puszcza

Drawska).

The DNP represents a landscape of early-glacial outwash plains. It lies

entirely within the reception basin of Drawa River, which – along with its

tributary Płociczna – constitute for its main hydrographic axis. Both these

rivers run through a wide lane of outwashes that originated from the sands

left by a melting glacier’s waters running down to the Toruń-Eberswald

postglacial stream valley. All activities performed within the DNP borders

have to conform to the rules of nature preservation.

The main function of the DNP is to observe the natural biotope and evaluate

the current state of natural processes, surface and subterranean waters,

climate, and other aspects of the inanimate nature. Based on those

observations, we can forecast the direction and pace of ecosystem changes,

and the reaction of live organisms to those changes.

The Park area is directly related to the Drawa reception basin of 567km². The

rapid currents of these rivers have sculpted many attractive canyons and

ravines wedged into the outwash plain, some close to 30 metres deep and

overgrown with diverse standing timber. In those valleys take place the most

crucial land-shaping processes: the river current is causing, on one side, spot

erosion of the valley slopes, and on the other – accumulation of river residues

on the dry ground forests on the drainage terraces.

The Drawa Wilderness, presently a dense forest complex, only 100 years ago

used to be a mosaic of woods, pastures, and fields. Its present-day landscape

has been shaped mainly by the traditional local economy, especially the

forestry, of which some elements are now the relics of past human activities.

Presently, the DNP stands out for its diversity of ecosystems. There are 224

documented plant communities. The surface is dominated by forests (80% of

the total park area), mainly beech woods, alder-lined meadows and swamps,

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and patches of pine forests. Another characteristic element is peatbogs, along

with water and meadow ecosystems.

The lakes within the DNP are largely diversified by their trophicity, area, and

depth. Some of them stand out with their characteristic fauna and flora.

The Park’s fauna is represented by over 200 species of vertebrates, among

which the most numerous are birds. There also is an abundance of

invertebrates, among which one finds some uniquely valuable endangered

species. The crest animal of the DNP is the otter.

TTHHEE GGOORRCCEE NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The Gorce National Park was established in 1981. It

includes the central and north-east parts of the

Gorce Range. The total cover of the GNP is 7,030

hectares and roughly a half of this area is under a

strict nature conservation regime. GNP protects not

only the Gorce Range’s nature but also a rich

cultural heritage.

The Carpathian forest is the most important treasure in the GNP. Lower

elevations are covered with mixed forest called the Carpathian Beech Forest.

It is only slightly affected by human activities in the past. The

highest elevations are occupied by sub-alpine spruce forests. The

forest dynamics is mostly of natural character – trees get old then

die giving place for new generations of woody vegetation.

The glades spread out among comprehensive forest cover enrich

the Gorce’s biodiversity and elevate its landscape values. The

glades along with regional Zagórze or Podhale type woody huts are remnants

of the traditional pastoral activities in this area.

A wandering lengthwise Gorce tourist trails is very attractive since one may

watch even other ranges, especially the Tatra Mountains.

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TTHHEE KKAAMMPPIINNOOSS NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

Only a few kilometres from the

administration border of Warsaw,

Kampinos National Park is probably the

only such big natural complex in the world

located in the “suburbs” of a two-million city.

Kampinos National Park protects remains of the former Mazowsze Forest. Its

landscape is dominated by two elements: marshes and neighbouring dunes.

Dunes in Kampinos are one of the best maintained inland dune complexes in

Europe. The dunes are covered with pine forest, and partially exposed.

Biggest exposure of the dunes, so called Grochalskie Piachy in the northern

part of the Park reminds more a desert than a landscape in Central Poland.

In the Park area, 22 reserves have been created, of which

the most famous and precious from the nature point of

view is Sieraków marsh reserve, surrounded by tourist

routes starting from Sieraków, Dziekanów Leśny and

Dąbrowa. The centre of the reserve is an extensive marsh

of Cichowąż, surrounded by sand dune hills. Isolation of

the reserve causes that it is a habitat of rare plant species and numerous

animal species. A plant curiosity is a small shrub – Leatherleaf

(Chamaedaphne calyculata) – a relic of ice age. In the reserve you can meet

elks, black storks and listen to clanging of very timid cranes.

In 1992, a programme of lynx reintroduction was started. Today, there are

approximately 10 lynx living in the wild. Elk is very numerous. There’s an

interesting curiosity – the thickest tree in Poland – a poplar with

circumference above 11 meters, growing in Leszno.

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Mazowsze Forest reach in wood has been well known and valued for a long

time. Here mast pines were cut down and floated by Vistula river to Gdańsk.

In 2000, Kampinos National Park was entered into UNESCO list as a

biosphere reserve.

TTHHEE KKAARRKKOONNOOSSZZEE NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

Karkonosze, located 130 km southwest from

Wrocław, are the biggest mountain range in

the Sudetes. In the past it was known as

Gigant Mountains or Snowy Mountains.

First “tourists” here were Walloons,

legendary prospectors searching for

precious stones and minerals who came to Karkonosze in the 11th century.

They left after themselves mysterious castles on rocks and legends fascinating

modern enthusiasts of these mountains.

The Karkonosze National Park covers the main Karkonosze range from

Mumlawski Wierch on the west to Okraj mountain pass on the east. The

Park also includes two separate enclaves: Szklarka Waterfall and

Chojnik Mountain with a castle: The highest mountain in Karkonosze is

Śnieżka (1602 m above sea level) which can be reached by trail leading

from the chairlift to Kopa. On Śnieżka top there is Saint Lawrence

chapel (17th century), a meteorological observatory and a restaurant.

The Park landscape is very special, and this because of its direct

proximity of typical mountain forms and marshes. Extensive, plane top parts

with peat bogs and marshes are accompanied by steep rock walls of

postglacial cirques. The landscape is completed with mountain lakes and

rocks in unusual shapes, and names stimulating imagination, such as:

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Pilgrims, Horse Heads, Three Little Pigs, Raven Rocks... Near the Park

border, there is the highest waterfall in the Polish part of Karkonosze –

Kamieńczyk waterfall (27 m high), and in a separate Park enclave, Szklarka

waterfall – one of the most recognizable and picturesque waterfalls in Poland.

The biggest mammal living in Karkonosze is the Red

Deer. You can also find there roe deer, wild boars and

mouflons. The last animal is the wild mountain sheep,

brought on the European mainland from Sardinia and

Corsica. In Poland, a small number of those can be found in the Sudetes. The

climate of Karkonosze is cold. Average annual temperature at the main ridge

is from 2 to 4°C, and at Śnieżka mountain, 0°C.

In 1993, at the Polish and Czech side of Karkonosze UNESCO Bilateral

Biosphere Reserve was established.

TTHHEE MMAAGGUURRAA NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

Magura National Park is located in the

south of Poland, approx. 80 km east of

Nowy Sącz and 90 km south of Tarnów.

The Park covers a part of Low Beskids,

seemingly ordinary mountains. From the

name you can guess these are not very

high mountains. Gentle summits, wide valleys, Orthodox churches, remains

of Lemkos villages – they are the landscape of Beskids, where time stood still.

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The almost entire area of Magura National Park consists of beech,

fir and rarely sycamore forests, all in naturally preserved condition.

Large stretches of forest are a sanctuary for animals,

including many endangered species. There are 117

breeding bird species within the Park area.

Particularly numerous are birds of prey – especially

buzzard and lesser spotted eagle. The population density of Ural Owl is

probably the highest in Europe. The forests are inhabited by large mammals:

bears and wolves, on Magura Wątkowska: lynx and disappearing wildcats.

Roe deer, deer and wild boars are common animals there.

TTHHEE NNAARREEWW NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

Natural, almost virgin river system is one of

the biggest natural attractions in Poland. The

most interesting example of a wild lowland

river is Narew. From Suraż to Rzędziany, the

river creates a very complicated, branched

network of canals, channels and old river beds. Hydrologists classify Narew

as an anastomosing river. There are only several rivers of this type

worldwide, e.g. the Amazon River and the Congo River. In Europe, this river

type can be seen only here.

Narew National Park is located only 15 km from Białystok borders. The

National Park covers dozens of kilometres in the Narew valley between Suraż

and Rzędziany. The main reason to create a national park was a unique

character of the river which flows simultaneously in many channels.

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Narew river is the most beautiful in

early spring when strong turquoise

colour of water contrasts with warm

sandy colour of reeds. At this time,

Narew valley is one of the most

important stops for migrating

birds. The water labyrinth shelters thousands of breeding and

migratory birds. A symbol of Narew National Park is Western Marsh

harrier (predatory bird from Accipitridae family) whose number of

breeding couples is estimated at over 30. In spring, it's easy to watch

numerous ducks, seagulls, terns, ruffs, black-tailed godwits, peewits, snipes,

cranes and harriers. Of 203 bird species present in the Park, 28 is threatened

with extinction.

The biggest mammal in Narew Park is elk. By Narew you can also meet

beavers, muskrats, otters, badgers and foxes. In Narew National Park there

are over 20 protected plant species, e.g. early marsh orchid, heath spotted

orchid, Siberian iris, Dianthus superbus, round-leaved sundew.

TTHHEE OOJJCCOOWW NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The smallest national park in Poland

located in a short distance from Cracow

city borders. It used to be called “Polish

Switzerland”. Although small in size – it's

over twenty times smaller than Biebrza

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National Park – it charms with its landscape – especially the iconic Maczuga

Herkulesa (Cudgel of Hercules) by the castle in Pieskowa Skała.

Ojców National Park is located around Prądnik Valley which traverses

limestone rocks of Cracow-Częstochowa Upland. Geological structure and

later karst processes led to development of numerous caves which had been

inhabited by people from time immemorial. The oldest traces discovered in

Jaskinia Ciemna (dark cave) are dated to 120 thousand years BC. Many

objects were found in Ojców caves such as: stone bifaces, knives, blades

made of mammoth tusks, decorated animal bones, stone tips and flint spears.

Many legends are connected with the caves in this area, and the most famous

is a legend on Władysław the Elbow-high. Apparently, when escaping from

Cracow from the Czech king army he sheltered in one of the caves. A huge

spider spun a web in the entry to the cave, thus stopping the pursuit. The

"spider trace" of the legend is even more interesting considering the fact that

Jaskinia Łokietka (Elbow-high Cave) is populated by meta menardi – the

most venomous spider living in Poland. Jaskinia Łokietka, similarly to

several other caves in this area is open to the visitors. When travelling a

winding road from Cracow, it's impossible to miss Maczuga Herkulesa

(Cudgel of Hercules) and the castle in Pieskowa Skała located behind it. In

nearby Ojców, there are ruins of another castle which gradually fell into ruin

since the “Swedish Deluge” (Swedish Invasion). An interesting attraction is a

chapel on water. Its construction is related to the order of the Russian Tsar

Nicholas II. The Tsar prohibited construction of religious buildings on Ojców

land. The constructors of the chapel circumvented the Tsar's prohibition and

built the chapel on water.

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TTHHEE BBOORRYY TTUUCCHHOOLLSSKKIIEE NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

Bory Tucholskie National Park is situated

about 120 km south-west of Gdańsk and

approximately 100 km north of Bydgoszcz. It

occupies only a part of the vast forest

complex called Bory Tucholskie (Tuchola

Forest).

The local landscape is dominated by woods and lakes, including unique mid-

forest lobelia lakes characterised by very high water transparency. The largest

lake adjoining the Park’s western

border is the channel

Charzykowskie Lake: almost 18

km long and up to 2 km wide.

One of the Park’s major attractions is

Struga Siedmiu Jezior (the Seven

Lakes’ Stream): a rivulet connecting seven glacial channel lakes. The total

length of this unusual stream is 13 km, but the river sections between the

lakes only total 2 km. River banks are inhabited by many rare bird species

including white-tailed eagle, western marsh.

TTHHEE TTAABBLLEE MMOOUUNNTTAAIINNSS PPAARRKK

Considering the landscape, the Table

Mountains are one of the most original places

in Poland. Extensive, flat summits, cut with

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deep ravines, and unusual shapes of eroded sandstone create an atmosphere

of fantasy movies. The Park is located in Kłodzko Valley, a dozen kilometres

west from Kłodzko. On the north-east it neighbours Kudowa Zdrój.

Initial exploration of the Park can be started by driving the “road of hundred

bends”. You can also use a hiking trail or bicycle route from Kudowa. A

great base for hiking is Karłów located between the biggest attractions of the

Park: Szczeliniec Wielki and Błędne Skały.

The Park has a very well developed tourist infrastructure. In a small distance,

there are three mountain hostels: in Pasterka, Karłów and at Szczeliniec

Wielki. The last one, located over a rock edge, is the most beautiful

viewpoint in the Table Mountains. The hiking and bicycle route network is

very dense. Cross-country skiing trails are prepared in winter. Within the

Park, six locations for rock climbing are indicated.

TTHHEE WWAARRTTAA MMOOUUTTHH NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

Formed in 2001 Warta Mouth

National Park covers a surface of

8074 hectares. It lies near the Polish-

German border, in a fragment of

Toruń-Eberswald proglacial stream

valley, the so called Gorzów Valley.

Flat, wide terrains of the Park are situated within the lower bench of Warta

River.

The Warta River flowing through the middle of the Park is a natural border

between two areas, Northern Polder and the

floodland. The floodland is a semi-natural area in

which annual water level fluctuations may reach

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up to 4 meters with its maximum in the spring months (March and April).

The Northern Polder is separated from a direct influence of Warta by a levee

build along the river bed. The water level is here definitely lower than at the

left bank and relatively stable. Nowadays Park’s landscape is a mosaic of

meadows, pastures and areas overgrown by sedge and reed. The existing

plant communities are typical for agriculturally developed valleys of big

lowland rivers. The remnants of its original character are willow shrubs that

formed secondarily at the Warta River bed, communities of carr forest as well

as single, grand willows and elms. The record of bird species of Warta Mouth

National Park includes over 270 species along with 170 breeding ones. Some

of them are listed in the Polish Red Data Book of Animals: Little Bittern,

Shelduck, Common Teal, Little Gull, Eurasian Curlew.

Many bird species living in the Park are regarded as species requiring special

care according to the so called Birds Directive, one of the documents on

which Natura 2000 protected area network is based. Among the 190 bird

species listed in the Directive, 64 have

been affirmed in the Park. These are

breeding birds like: Bittern, Black-

crowned Night Heron, Corncrake, Spotted

Crake, Black Tern, Little Tern, Aquatic

Warbler and also species present during

migration season like: Eurasian Golden Plover, Hen Harrier, and these

wintering ones: Whooper Swan and Tundra Swan.

Regarding the breeding as well the molting and migration seasons, the

floodlands and meadows of Warta Mouth National Park are of vital meaning

for birds across whole Europe. Numerous plovers like: Wood Sandpipers,

Spotted Redshanks and Ruffs stop here. In autumn the meadows at Warta

River are being taken over by geese, numbering usually about 60-80

thousand, and maximally even 200 thousand. The flocks of arctic geese are

dominated by Bean Geese, a bird that is a symbol of our Park. The Park is

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also a crucial wintering place for many species like: Whooper Swans, Mute

Swans, and White-tailed Eagles.

Not many places in Poland can boast such a incredibly high and diverse

amount of birds. Sometimes during only one day 250 thousand of birds may

be observed, so it is not odd that the meadows at Warta River are under

protection within The Ramsar Convention.

TTHHEE PPIIEENNIINNYY NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

Pieniny National Park is a mountain park

located 120 km south of Cracow. The

easiest way to reach the Park is via a road

from Cracow towards Zakopane, in Nowy

Targ turning in the direction of Krościenko.

The Pieniny Park was created in the area of

Pieniny, a 35 km long and 6 km wide mountain range. The interest in nature

protection in the Pieniny area reaches 1920s, when a flora reserve was

created in Czorsztyn. Vegetation in Pieniny Park is extraordinarily

abounding. You can find 167 mountain plant species here, including two

endemic species: Pieniny wallflower and Pieniny dandelion. There are many

orchids, on the meadows you can find Veratrum Lobelianum, a plant with

beautiful, large leaves. The best month to see flowers and plants is June.

Large mammals in Pieniny are not numerous, but the Pieniny meadows are

famous for abundance of butterflies; the best known one is the Mountain

Apollo, which can be found only here.

TTHHEE PPOOLLEESSIIEE NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

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Located 50 km northeast of Lublin,

Polesie National Park is a unique

complex of marshes, swamps, lakes,

ponds and forests. It is a last fragment of

Polesie landscape which withheld

intensive land reclamation activities in

the 1960s. Here you can find something that used to be called “the Charm of

Polesie”.

The famous Polish swamps can be crossed dry-shod walking on specially

prepared footbridges, e.g. the nature trail Dąb Dominik (Dominic Oak). The

trails start near Łomnica village, and at the beginning lead through different

types of forests, through broadleaved and swamp forests. Near Moszne Lake

we reach a peat bog, on which there is a footbridge leading up to the lake,

which is in the last phase of overgrowing. A tour is fascinating especially for

persons interested in flora. On the way through the peat bog, you can meet

many rare plant species: downy willow, round-leaved sundew or

Rhododendron tomentosum.

Perehod path in the northern part of the Park is prepared for

bird admirers. There are two observation towers. A path is led

around complex of ponds, partially on a causeway in the

middle of the reservoirs. Depending on the season, on the 5-

kilometre route, you can see dozens of bird species, e.g.:

white-tailed eagle, western marsh harrier, spotted eagle, white heron, bittern,

mute swan, whooper swan, many species of duck, goose and Ciconiiformes.

The biggest resident of the Polish swamps is the elk. In the forests we can

encounter roe deer, deer and wild boars, sometimes wolves. In Polesie

National Park occurs European pond turtle, the only Polish species of turtle,

in the past very common, now the most endangered reptile in Poland.

TTHHEE RROOZZTTOOCCZZEE NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

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Roztocze National Park is situated in the

south-east of Poland, approximately 30 km

southwest of Zamość and includes the most

precious natural areas of

Roztocze. Environmental protection in

Roztocze has a tradition reaching the end of the 16th,century when fragments

of Central Roztocze were included in Zamoyski Estate. A type of zoo –

menagerie was then established and surrounded by a 30-kilometre fence,

within which wild animals were kept.

Roztocze National Park is a typical forest location. 95% of the area is

covered by beech, pine and fir forests. In the Park, there are more than 400

monumental trees; local fir trees grow up to 50 metres. Large

mammals are represented by deer, wild boars, wolves, lynx and

badgers. The biggest attraction of the Park is a wild Polish Pony

herd living in an allocated enclave. Polish Pony is a species

coming from Przewalski's Horse. Until the end of the 18th

century they lived in forest areas of Eastern Poland. All year, Ponies live in

the wild, human interference is limited only to feeding in the winter season.

Every year, a couple of foals are born in the herd. The Ponies may be

observed from a special observation tower by Echo pond, few hundred

metres behind Zwierzyniec in the direction of Górecko Stare. Wild herds of

Polish Ponies may be seen also in Biebrza National Park, Popielno and

Stobnica.

A natural attraction of Roztocze are Szum and Nad Tanwią reserves located

south of the Park. The reserves include valleys of small forest rivers with

picturesque waterfalls and river steps called here szumy, szypoty or porohy.

TTHHEE SSLLOOVVIINNSSKKII NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

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Apart from Wolin Park, Slovinski National

Park is one of two seaside national parks in

Poland. The Park is located between Łeba and

Rowy, 115 km northwest of Gdańsk.

One of attractions of Slovinski National Park are moving dunes, which in the

Park reach the height of dozens of meters, and are one of the largest in

Europe. Huge sand mountains are deceptively similar to Sahara deserts. With

a bit of luck, it is even possible to experience a sandstorm. Just like on a real

desert, when going for a couple-hour hike, you cannot forget to take solid

water supplies.

Slovinski National Park is unusual because in direct neighbourhood there are

moving dunes, marshes, peat bogs, lakes and forests buried by dunes. In other

locations, wind discovers dead stumps of trees buried in the past under the

sand. It is worth to visit the Park early in the morning, before the crowds of

tourist.

Slovinski National Park is located on the route of seasonal bird passage, and

you can meet here eagle owls, cranes, black storks, ruffs. In winter, the Park

is visited by birds from the north. In the forest you can encounter elks, foxes,

racoon dogs and badgers.

The Park was named by Slovincians, a group of people who used to live by

Gardno and Łebsko lakes. Slovincians called themselves Kashubians and

used Kashubian dialect. Those who are interested in the history of this land

should visit the open-air ethnographic museum in Kluki, located east of

Smołdzino.

Considering unusual natural diversity, in 1977 Slovinski National Park was

included in UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

TTHHEE SSWWIIĘĘTTOOKKRRZZYYSSKKII NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

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The Świętokrzyskie Mountains are the oldest

and the lowest mountains in Poland,

characterised by unique geological features

to be found nowhere else in Europe.

Świętokrzyski National Park occupies the

highest ridge of the Świętokrzyskie

Mountains, called the Łysogóry. The Park is situated about 20 km east of the

city of Kielce. It covers the entire Łysogóry Ridge and parts of Klonowskie

and Pokrzywiańskie Ridges.

The highest peaks in the Park are Mount Łysica (612 metres above sea level)

situated in the western part of the Łysogóry, and Mount Łysa Góra (595

metres above sea level) with a former Benedictine monastery, which towers

over the eastern part of the ridge. The slopes of the Łysogóry ridge are

covered by the so-called gołoborza (screes): vast areas of rock rubble formed

by the weathering of Cambrian quartzite. Tourists trekking in the Łysogóry

tread the oldest and the hardest rocks in Poland. As they pick a splinter of

quartzite from under their feet, they are touching a petrified piece of the sea

bed from 500 million years ago.

The Świętokrzyskie Mountains are famous for their natural fir woods.

Dominant tree species include fir, but also oak and beech. This type of mixed

forest can only be found in Poland in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and

certain parts of the Roztocze hill range. Its endemic character is emphasised

by its Latin name Abietetum polonicum.

The Łysogóry ridge is a land of legends. Every Polish kid has heard of

mysterious Witches’ Sabbaths held on Mount Łysa Góra. The myth of Łysa

Góra has its factual roots: the mountain top is surrounded with nearly 1.5 km-

long wall built of Cambrian quartzite. In the ancient times, the peak was

probably a place of worship. The inner area enclosed by the wall could once

witness magical pagan rituals. According to the legend, witches headed to

their Sabbaths on Mount Łysa Góra riding broomsticks or carts pulled by

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goats. Today it is hard to believe that the belief in the existence of witches in

Europe continued for more than three hundred years. The last witch trial in

Poland was held in 1775: 14 women were convicted of witchcraft and burnt

at the stake.

TTHHEE TTAATTRRAA NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The Tatra Mountains, located at both

sides of Polish and Slovak border are

part of the Carpathian Mountains – huge

mountain range running from Romania,

through Ukraine, Slovakia and Poland.

In Poland, which is mainly a lowland country, the Tatras are loved. Every

season, tourists from all over Poland and abroad hike the Tatra Mountains

trails. Located 100 km south from Cracow, Tatra National Park is the most

visited national park in Poland with unique mountain landscape. It is created

of jagged mountain peaks and ridges, steep precipices, deep valleys, glacial

cirques, gullies, lakes and swift streams. The highest summit in Poland is

Rysy located at the Polish and Slovak border at 2499 metres above sea level.

In Tatra National Park there are more than 270 km of hiking trails of different

difficulties: from very easy, suitable for walks, to requiring significant skills

and equipped with safety devices such as chains, step irons, ladders. There

are also climbing routes. For a few years it's been possible to cross the Polish

and Slovak border in the locations where trails from these countries meet.

Flora and fauna in the Tatras is very rich and diverse. Typically mountain

plants present in the Tatra Mountains are: Swiss pine, Leontopodium

alpinum, Crocus scepusiensis, stemless carline thistle. The remaining of the

ice age are relict plants: net-leaved willow and mountain avens. The animal

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world is also unique. You can meet here chamois and marmots. The Tatras

are one of rare places where you can meet brown bear, lynx and very rare

golden eagle. Another reason for which the Tatras are a special place is the

harmonious connection between the beauty of nature and the Goral

(highland) culture present in the dialect, clothes, music and architecture.

Polish settlers form Cracow region settling at the foot of the Tatras mixed

with a Vlach pastoral people travelling from the south, creating the Podhale

region's Goral culture. For every tourist a visit in the Tatras leaves the taste of

local traditional cheeses: bunc, oscypek, bryndza as well as żentyca –

delicious and refreshing drink made from sheep milk. Typical Goral music

can be heard in the streets and restaurants. The Goral culture popular at the

turn of the 19th and 20th century propagated the Goral wood architecture

whose great examples can be found in Zakopane and the entire Podhale

region.

TTHHEE WWIIEELLKKOOPPOOLLSSKKAA NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The National Park of Wielkopolska was

created on April 16, 1957 pursuant to a

regulation by the Council of Ministers,

the area within its borders was 9600ha,

and 5100 was to be administered by the

Park. In 1996 a new regulation by the

Council of Ministers concerning the National Park limited its area to 7584ha

and created a protected buffer zone around the Park. This zone's area,

together with the area of the Park, totaled 14840ha. Some areas were

excluded form the Park, such as the urban areas of Puszczykowo, Mosina and

Stęszew. The National Park of Wielkopolska is located around 15 km south

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of Poznań and has a very convenient bus and train connection with this city

(Poznań- Wrocław rail line), and through Poznań, thanks to many fast trains,

also with Warsaw. The National Park of Wielkopolska is one of the most

attractive areas around the city of Poznań.

TTHHEE WWIIGGRRYY NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

Wigry National Park is an essence

of all postglacial forms. A

“specialist” armed with geology

textbook can find here bottom and

terminal morains, eskers, kames,

outwash sand plains and other

forms left by the glacier. A tourist

can see hills pleasing to the eye with depressions filled with ponds and lakes

– a landscape reminding partly Scandinavia, and partly green Hobbiton from

Tolkien's novel.

The Park is situated in the northern part of Augustów Primeval Forest, south-

east from Suwałki. The area is a cultural borderland between Poland, Belarus

and Lithuania an interesting place, not only for its natural values. Here is an

old Camaldolese monastery which in the past was one of the most powerful

monasteries in Poland and one of the richest in Europe.

Geological history of the area includes mainly the last glaciation which ended

approximately 12 thousand years ago. A result of the glacier activities is the

most beautiful and the biggest lake in the Park – Wigry. The

lake is S-shaped and 20-kilometre in length. Its shores are

irregular, as though jagged, with many islands and smaller

ponds surrounding the lake. The bottom of Wigry lake is a

postglacial channel, uneven and locally very deep (73

metres).

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The Park flora proves the recent presence of the glacier. 18 species being

relicts of the ice age were identified. These are bushes and shrubs typical for

tundra, such as Arctic dwarf birch (Betula humilis) and black crowberry

(Empetrum nigrum). Today, the landscape is dominated by forests taking

more than a half of the Park area.

In the Middle Ages the forest

occupied a much larger area. Gradual

forest disappearance is related to the

arrival of Camaldolese order in the

Wigry region in 1667. By Wigry lake,

the Camaldolese order built a church,

monastery, and hermitages – isolated

cottages for monks. They also started intensive civilization of the forest. They

founded villages, towns, tar kilns, lumber mills and traded wood. The largest

city in the region – Suwałki – was founded by the Camaldolese order. Today,

the monastery hosts Creative Work Centre. Hermitages are made available as

accommodation places. This is a rare opportunity for visitors to try a

monastic life.

TTHHEE WWOOLLIINN NNAATTIIOONNAALL PPAARRKK

The most beautiful fragment of the Polish Baltic Sea cost is

located at Wolin Island in the northwest corner of Poland.

Several kilometres long cliffs reach a height exceeding 90

metres. A short walk on the sea shore from Międzyzdroje

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towards east is enough to see that Wolin is a place where forces of nature

clash. It is proven by fallen tree trunks, active landslides or rocks extracted

from cliffs by storm waves. Every year, the sea takes almost a metre of the

land.

The most valuable fragments of the cliffy coast are within the

Wolin National Park. Another Park attraction are unique beech

forest communities and Świna River delta together with several

smaller islands. Approximately 1500 m from the centre of

Międzyzdroje, there is a show bison corral, an ideal target for an

evening walk.White-tailed sea eagle is a symbol of the Park. In spring and

autumn every year, the Park is a place of rest for migrating birds. In the forest

you can encounter roe deer, deer, wild boars and even badgers. On the dunes,

you can find a “Polish cactus” Sea holly, and in the forest, even few species

of orchids.

Fauna and flora

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NATIONAL PARKS OF NORWAY

The national parks safeguard the rich diversity of Norway's natural

heritage, for nature's sake, for our own and for future generations. Norway has 44 national parks, 37 on the mainland and seven

on Svalbard. From underwater wonders to high mountainous areas, these

parks offer a variety of landscapes and a wide range of exciting outdoors

experiences.

Nearly 85 percent of Norway's national parks are mountains.

The mountain landscape varies from endless gently rolling high plateaus to

sharp peaks, ravines and glaciers.

National parks are particularly important for species that need

relatively large and undisturbed areas to survive, such as wild reindeer,

predators and birds of prey. Many of these are at great risk from human

intervention and some are even threatened with extinction. Norway has an

international responsibility to look after endangered species and their

habitats.

We will now present a few of our national parks with some examples of

animals and plants:

Dovrefjell

The Dovrefjell area is almost entirely protected as two national parks:

• Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park

• Dovre National Park

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Flora and fauna

Dovrefjell has abundant vegetation, in which many animals and

birds thrive. Particularly the marshes of Fokstumyrene attract many species

of birds. Grouse, golden eagle and gerfalcon are the most special of all the

birds that live here.

The musk ox is the most distinctive animal in the Dovrefjell

fauna. Although this ancient animal was imported to the area, it thrives here.

But be careful – do not get too close to a musk ox! It may seem big and

clumsy, weighing between 225 and 400 kilos, but it moves fast with a top

speed of 60 kilometres per hour.

Hardangervidda The vast mountain plateau of Hardangervidda is one of Europe's largest. It is

also home to Northern Europe’s largest stock of reindeer.

The whole of the Hardangervidda is above the tree line. Its alpine climate

enables the presence of many species of arctic animals and plants further

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south than anywhere else in Europe. Its wild reindeer herds are among the

largest in the world, with around 8,000 animals in 2008.

The varying climate of the plateau has a marked effect on the flora, which is

richer on the wetter west side than in the drier east; much of the plateau is

covered by coarse grasses, mosses (especially sphagnum) and lichens.

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Jotunheimen

Jotunheimen has the largest concentration of mountains higher than 2,000

metres in Northern Europe.

Jotunheimen has majestic mountain nature with high peaks, glaciers, peculiar

rivers and lakes, traces of the hunting culture, intact farm landscape and rich

flora where multiple plants reach their height record. In Jotunheimen you can

find the most powerful and highest summits of Norway, of which

Galdhøpiggen with its 2469 m above sea level rises highest.

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Jostedalsbreen National Park

Jostedalsbreen National Park covers an area of 1,310 square kilometres.

Jostedalsbreen is the biggest glacier in mainland Europe, and covers 487

square km2 of the park. The national park also contains many other large and

small glaciers. Seven municipalities have areas within the national park, and

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the Jostedalsbreen glacier divides two of the world's longest fjords, the

Sognefjord and the Nordfjord.

Børgefjell National Park Børgefjell is best known as the home to the rare Arctic fox, although in terms

of numbers the wolverine is the most common of the large predators. Both

lynx and bear are also found here. The most common small predators are the

red fox, the snow weasel, the marten, and the stoat. It is also possible to catch

the occasional glimpse of an otter.

All of Børgefjell is used for domestic reindeer grazing.

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NATURAL PARKS AND

BEAUTIES

OF SLOVENIA

TRIGLAV NATIONAL PARK

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This is the

only national park in Slovenia. It is staggeringly beautiful and so

demands special treatment. This national park in the area of the Julian

Alps in north-western Slovenia gained its name from Slovenia’s highest

mountain, Triglav, which stands 2,864 metres high. Countless natural

and cultural features are dotted around the diverse karstic mountain

terrain with its picturesque mountain peaks and valleys, and there is

ample opportunity for activities in the natural environment and for

active leisure time.

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Bohinj Lake

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Postojna cave

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FAUNA AND FLORA OF

SLOVENIA • Slovenia’s biodiversity is evident: although it comprises just

0.004% of the Earth’s surface, it is home to more than 1% of all

living creatures, and more than 2% of land and freshwater

creatures. Slovenia is the third-most forested country in Europe.

The forests are home to edible wild mushrooms, and a large

population of bears, who generally avoid humans.

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• \Slovenia is a green country and promotes green, i.e.

environmentally friendly or ecological tourism. Around 60 percent of Slovenia is covered in deciduous

and evergreen forests, making it the third most forested country in Europe. There is virgin forest just

60 kilometers from the capital city. Many forests feature interpretive trails. More than a third of

Slovenia’s entire territory is ranked in the European network of nature protection areas, Natura 2000. The plant diversity is exceptional, with numerous cultured

plants thriving in addition to forests, shrubbery and meadows. All the country’s regions are well suited for

the grapevine.

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To make contact with wild animals in Slovenia you need only go to the

edge of the forest, just outside the towns. There are plenty of roe deer in

the forests, and they wander close to the towns and villages. There is a

good chance of seeing a smaller animal of some type, such as a squirrel.

The brown bear also lives in Slovenia’s forests. As they range throughout

the forests as far as Bosnia and Herzegovina, their actual number is not

known, but it is estimated that about 700 bears live in Slovenia. As of the

last decade they are no longer endangered, but it is nevertheless rare that

individuals are shot. Bears generally prefer to avoid humans, and your

chance of encountering a bear in the wild is extremely slim.

Many other very rare and endangered animal species inhabit the forests,

such as the wolf, the lynx, the wildcat, the capercaillie and the pheasant.

These are all protected. The ibex is also protected, and can be seen in the

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mountains.

Slovenia’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters are home to a diversity of

species. Alongside numerous fish species, some clean rivers are still

inhabited by freshwater crayfish, which are highly endangered.

Many bird species nest in Slovenia, while it is also a vital habitat for

migratory species. The landscape parks are the best place to see large

numbers of birds.

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We explore...

...and we learn abour fauna and flora

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NATIONAL PARK OF TURKEY

NEVSEHIR

Göreme National Park is just outside the village of Göreme, 12km east of

Nevşehir and in the heart of Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. Göreme village

is easily accessible by road from all directions, especially through Nevsehir.

The Ankara - Adana highway approaches from the northwest, the Aksaray -

Nevsehir from the southwest, and the Kayseri - Ürgüp highway from the

northeast. The national park can be reached on foot from the village.

The national park consists of valleys with the world-famous rock formations

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of Cappadocia, the conical shaped rocks shaped over centuries out of eroded

volcanic stone, and known as Fairy Chimneys.

In addition to the fascinating landscape formed by the volcanic tuff and cave

dwellings, there are also important Byzantine churches, which reflect the

history of religious art in that period. Because of the geological

characteristics of the area, and the fact that it was secluded, people living here

could hide themselves away from the various battles taking place, as well as

from the authority of the central administration.

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National Parks of Lithuania

Fauna and Flora

Aukštaitija National Park is the first national park founded in Lithuania.

Aukštaitija National Park covers about 40 000 ha, there are more than 100

objects of architectural and archaeological heritage, more than 100 villages.

Curonian Spit National Park is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Situated between the Curonian lagoon and the Baltic sea, Curonian Spit

National Park is one the most beautiful places in Lithuania.

Dzūkija National Park is the largest protected area in Lithuania. Dzūkija

National Park covers about 56 000 ha (85% of it covered by forests), there

are about 80 villages, 10 forestry districts.

Trakai Historical National Park is the smallest national park in Lithuania.

Trakai Historical National Park is located very near the capital of Lithuania,

it covers about 8 000 ha. It's the only Historical National Park in the Europe.

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Žemaitija National park is located in the north west of Lithuania. Žemaitija

National Park covers about 22 000 ha, which are divided into four zones:

recreation, protection, farming and conservation.

Aukštaitijos Nacionalinis Parkas

Aukštaitija is a region of hills, lakes and forests. For everyone looking for

new impressions, it is recommended to visit this land as it would only take a

few hours to get there by car or by train from the biggest Lithuanian cities.

Quite a small investment of your time would buy off an unforgettable

experience.

The Aukštaitija National Park was approved as one in 1974. The park then

was called National Park of Lithuanian SSR, but as soon as Lithuania got

back its independence, the current name for it was given. The main purpose

of establishing of this park was to preserve cultural and natural heritage of

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Aukštaitija region which distinguishes in unique ethnography and also to

spread an idea of eco-awareness.

Nature

The Aukštaitija National Park is located in Eastern Lithuania, only a

hundred kilometers far from Vilnius. It covers an area of 3 districts which in

total is larger than 4000 hectares. The relief here was formed by glaciers thus

it is pretty broken. Waters cover 15% of the whole area – 126 smaller and

bigger lakes here stretch. The biggest are Kretuonas and Drignis, Tauragnas

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lake is the deepest one not only in Aukštaitija National Park, but in all

Lithuania.

The climate here is pretty unpredictable, even the local microclimate may

surprise with sudden changes thus it is recommended for coming visitors to

be prepared for both- heat and slob. Approximately 70% of territory of the

park is covered with forests. The variety of flora here is really amazing

though. 663 kinds of mushrooms, 779 different kinds of higher plants,

exceptional nature monuments like 800 year old Tranaiškis oak,

a group of 14 junipers, the highest one is 12 meters tall, and other sights can

be found here. But even more impressive is the “collection” of local

fauna.Aukštaitija National Park is proud to have 51 species of birds

included into the Red book.

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Variety of insects here is so affluent that it`s hard to investigate all of them. A

probability here to see a worm of inconceivable colors or a bug that you have

never even imaged could exist as a creature of such shapes is pretty big. And

of course, waters here are rich in fish,

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reaches of forests hide many species of reptiles and mammals.

No doubt that in these forests there is an amazing world where there are also

many rules and many inhabitants that communicate in their wild animal

language.

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Made by Bozena Stelmakova, principal of Vilniaus r. Mcikūnų vaikų lopšelis

– darželis