Ujscie Warty National Park
Encyclopedia
The Ujście Warty National Park, also, Warta River Mouth National Park, is the youngest of Poland
's 23 National Parks. It was created on June 19, 2001, in the region of the lowest stretch of the Warta river, up to its confluence with the Odra (Oder), which marks the Polish–German
border. The Park covers an area of 80.38 square kilometres (31 sq mi) within Lubusz Voivodeship
. The name Ujście Warty means "mouth of the Warta" – the Polish word ujście also being used for the termination of a river
at another river or lake rather than the sea.
The Park was created on the area of the former Słońsk Nature Reserve, which had existed since 1977, and parts of the Ujście Warty Landscape Park
. The ground here is swampy and muddy, which makes it a haven for birds. This is why the former Słońsk preserve, which is now part of the Park, was in 1984 covered by the Ramsar Convention
, which purpose is to protect such areas.
The Park has its headquarters in the village of Chyrzyno, near Kostrzyn nad Odrą
.
The area of the Park is one of the most important regions of birds’ lairs in Poland. There are 245 species of birds here and lairs of 160, including 7-8 species of ducks. 26 species are endangered (according to the BirdLife International list). Among them are: Acrocephalus paludicola, Crex crex, Limosa limosa, Grus grus, Botaurus stellaris, Ixobychus minutus or quite common here Chlidonias niger.
Moreover, in the Park there are 34 species of mammals, including otter
s (Lutra lutra) and beaver
s (Castor fibre).
The main threat to Park’s ecosystem is the return of bigger plants to the delicate systems of meadows and pastures. Their regrowth endangers lairs of birds, so Park’s authorities have taken necessary steps to fight this phenomenon.
Since May 31, 1996 there has been Centre of Natural Education at Chyrzno, which since fall of that year has been organizing courses for pupils and students. Among activities undertaken by the Centee there are: trips to the Park, ornithology camps, ecology workshops. In Park there are some walking and cycling trails and two nature walks Ptasim szlakiem (“Along birds’ trail”), which crosses through the most valuable parts of the Słońsk reserve.
The Park owns a small hotel - 5 rooms for 15 persons and a guest-house for about 30 visitors.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
's 23 National Parks. It was created on June 19, 2001, in the region of the lowest stretch of the Warta river, up to its confluence with the Odra (Oder), which marks the Polish–German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
border. The Park covers an area of 80.38 square kilometres (31 sq mi) within Lubusz Voivodeship
Lubusz Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Lubusz Voivodeship is divided into 14 counties : 2 city counties and 12 land counties. These are further divided into 83 gminas....
. The name Ujście Warty means "mouth of the Warta" – the Polish word ujście also being used for the termination of a river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
at another river or lake rather than the sea.
The Park was created on the area of the former Słońsk Nature Reserve, which had existed since 1977, and parts of the Ujście Warty Landscape Park
Ujscie Warty Landscape Park
Ujście Warty Landscape Park, also, Warta River Mouth Landscape Park, is a protected area in western Poland, along the lower stretches of the Warta river as it approaches its confluence with the Odra...
. The ground here is swampy and muddy, which makes it a haven for birds. This is why the former Słońsk preserve, which is now part of the Park, was in 1984 covered by the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
, which purpose is to protect such areas.
The Park has its headquarters in the village of Chyrzyno, near Kostrzyn nad Odrą
Kostrzyn nad Odra
Kostrzyn nad Odrą is a town in western Poland, at the confluence of the Oder and Warta rivers, on the border with Germany. Located in the Lubusz Voivodeship, in Gorzów County, it had 19,952 inhabitants as of 2007.- History :...
.
Waters
The Park’s main river is the Warta, which divides it into two parts - Southern (including the former Słońsk reserve) and Northern - the so-called Northern Polder. In the South, yearly changes in level of water reach up to 4 meters and the Park here serves as a gigantic, seasonal lake for excessive waters. Water level here raises usually late in the fall, but it is the highest in the spring (March–April). The Northern part is rich in various canals and it is separated from the Warta by a levee.Wildlife
Plant life is highly heterogeneous in biological sense. It is to large extent natural, although hundreds of years of human activity have influenced it, especially in the forested areas. On the other hand, nature in swampy areas closer to the Warta, is mainly untouched and as such is an interesting object of studies for biologists from Poland and other European countries. This is because most major river valleys in Europe have been changed by humans.The area of the Park is one of the most important regions of birds’ lairs in Poland. There are 245 species of birds here and lairs of 160, including 7-8 species of ducks. 26 species are endangered (according to the BirdLife International list). Among them are: Acrocephalus paludicola, Crex crex, Limosa limosa, Grus grus, Botaurus stellaris, Ixobychus minutus or quite common here Chlidonias niger.
Moreover, in the Park there are 34 species of mammals, including otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s (Lutra lutra) and beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
s (Castor fibre).
The main threat to Park’s ecosystem is the return of bigger plants to the delicate systems of meadows and pastures. Their regrowth endangers lairs of birds, so Park’s authorities have taken necessary steps to fight this phenomenon.
Since May 31, 1996 there has been Centre of Natural Education at Chyrzno, which since fall of that year has been organizing courses for pupils and students. Among activities undertaken by the Centee there are: trips to the Park, ornithology camps, ecology workshops. In Park there are some walking and cycling trails and two nature walks Ptasim szlakiem (“Along birds’ trail”), which crosses through the most valuable parts of the Słońsk reserve.
The Park owns a small hotel - 5 rooms for 15 persons and a guest-house for about 30 visitors.