Cedynia Landscape Park

Cedynia landscape park was established on 1st April 1993. It covers an area of ​​308.5 square kilometres, and its buffer zone occupies 531.2 square kilometres. Within its borders, there are: the Piasek Forest, the Cedynia Marshland,  the Krzymów Hills, the Moryń Hills and part of the Mieszkowice Forest. Despite such small space, there is a very diverse post-glacial landscape, with numerous moraines, lakes, ponds, streams, gorges and well-heads. The highest point is the hill Zwierzyniec with a height of 167 m above sea level, the lowest one - Lake Morzycko Basin located in the buffer zone of the Park. It has a depth of 60 m, which means that it is below sea level - the so-called cryptodepression. Due to such a diverse landscape, the Park has many observation points where You can admire the picturesque Oder Valley and the surrounding woods and fields.

    Vegetation of Cedynia Landscape Park is extremely rich and diverse. There are 640 species, 18 of which are protected by law. While crossing the Park, You can find old and impenetrable forests, swamps and backwaters, as well as the steppe-like landscape. The protected species of the Park are, among other things, yew, wild service tree, honeysuckle, snowdrop anemone, feather grass and lady orchid. Among the Mediterranean plants worth mentioning are downy oak and purple gromwell, because they cannot be found in any other place in Poland.

    Diverse landscape is a perfect habitat for many animals, including protected and endangered species. There live in the Park 12 species of amphibians and 6 species of reptiles (including northern crested newt, European fire-bellied toad, marsh frog, common spadefoot, pond turtle, blindworm, common European adder), 194 species of birds (including the white-tailed eagle, black kite, osprey, black stork, Eurasian oystercatcher, crane) and 39 species of mammals (e.g. wolf, beaver, bat, otter, hedgehog). The world of invertebrates is especially rich, but still not explored enough. One of the most interesting representatives is great capricorn beetle, deer stag, caterpillar hunters and bumblebees.

    In the Park, there are 8 reserves: Bielinek, Olszyna Źródliskowa, Dąbrowa Krzymowska,  Olszyny Ostrowskie, Dolina Świergotki [the Świergotka Valley], Jeziora Siegniewskie [the Seiengiew Lakes], Wrzosowiska Cedyńskie [the Cedynia Heaths] and Słoneczne Wzgórza [the Sunny Hills]. There are also a lot of rocks and trees, which are natural monuments. For instance, the boulders "Bliźniaki" [the Twins] or sessile oaks at Lubiechów Dolny.

    In the Park, You can find medieval architectural complexes (e.g. Moryń, Mieszkowice, Chojna, Trzcinsko-Zdroj) and the late Romanesque religious buildings, including the Chapel of the Knights Templar of the thirteenth century in the village of Rurki. There is the obelisk commemorating the Battle of Cedynia in 972 on Czcibor's Mountain.

    To see just a part of the natural wealth of the Park, You can go on trips along educational paths in the nature reserves of Bielinek and the Siegniew Lakes or in "Dolina Miłości" ['the Valley of Love'] Park. Besides, a lot of hiking trails have been marked out. There is a swimming area with a beach and a resort at Lake Ostrów. There are also designated forest campsites near the nature reserves of Bielinek and the Siegniew Lakes, as well as by the Słubia River. Along the roads leading through the woods, there are designated car parks and parking places in with tourist infrastructure.