The Biebrza National Park Protects the Biggest and the Best Preserved in the European Union Complex of Peatland of Marshy, Lowland River Valley

The Biebrza National Park protects the biggest and the best preserved in the European Union complex of peatland of marshy, lowland river valley. It covers 59 223 ha, and it is the largest national park in Poland. The very unique diversity of plant and animal species and almost natural ecosystems managed to survive in the Biebrza River valley. Here 280 species of birds have been recorded; among them 178 breed in the Biebrza wetlands. 48 mammal species with the biggest population of Elk (about 600 individuals) in Poland as well as more than 1000 vascular plants species have been observed in the area. Not any other region in Poland has larger population of Lady's Slipper orchid.

It is an important breeding, feeding and stop over site for many waterfowl and wetland birds. According to Bird Life International, it is the birds' refuge of global significance. The Biebrza National Park was added to the RAMSAR Convention list in 1995, as one of the most important world wetland sites. The Biebrza Valley was also incorporated into the European Ecological Natura 2000 Network, which protects the most valuable nature ecosystems in the European Union. As the result many species of flora and fauna including: birds - Spotted Eagle, Black Grouse, Great Snipe, Aquatic Warbler, mammals - Beaver, Otter, Wolf as well as plants - Fen Orchid, Marsh Saxifrage and Eastern Pasque Flower are particularly protected at the Biebrza River. All photographs courtesy of Romuald Mikusek and Piotr Tałałaj Mammals Red Bog P K Birds A P u R6- 5 w g ó u t s R-65 s K Jez. Rajgrodzkie t ca a rani u ó Lipsk G g n

u . w aństwa A A p

g R Krasnybór

u Rajgród - s 1 t

o 1 H Jez. Dreństwo w Jałowo s

k R6- i 5 B ieab Tama rz E E J Jez. Toczyłowo e ł ł k k g Sosnowo r Jez. Tajno R1- 1 qualitative and quantitative characterization of nesting birds z Sztabin n P i Kamienna a K Trzyrzeczki P R Stara  R Woźnawieś -6 107 observations of wolves and lynxes 5 -11 Orzechówka y s Bobra Wlk. a Kozłówka H H Jaczno S u Kuligi i Jaminy d K . w Dąbrowa r n a a Czerwone Różanystok Grajewo K Grzędy Białostocka Nowy Dwór Ciszewo Grodziszczany Bagno za Grodzisk iebr Gc groups on 4 marked test areas - 20-30 ha each (9-10 B B rani a Las Jagłowo i a pańs E Ciszewski ł twa a łk y w s a 1 t sz -1 K o r R a Dębowo k 732 observations of ungulate mammals a n .n W Piekielne Wrota E W łk o Kopytkowo Ruda ź a w Suchowola i e j s P k B i K r

P o check visits on each in season) z ó

a Przechody

Dolistowo Biebrza National Park B

Wólka Stare i

20 research transects in Biebrza a

ł y K Piaseczna ad Wroceń s

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. o R u k z Osowiec k a i brz searching for nesting places of rare birds, especially Bie H Goniądz National Park Osowiec-Twierdza Sośnia Siedziba Dyrekcji BPN

Kramarzewo

woodpeckers, owls and cranes P K Mścichy P Biały Grąd

Radziłów H Warsaw determination of headcount and spacial Mońki

i s s a Budy

Barwik B it a ł monthly check of 5 km transect y s

o Niewiarowo k structure of wolves population Gugny POLAND Werykle Trzcianne Brzostowo

ska row a cza z on r H bla b Gro e  i inspection of nests of rare raptor birds in protective zones B Bagno Ławki determinatation of group structure, Burzyn Park boundaries Tourist information Camp site Buffer zone Ranger lodge H Hotel Laskowiec Main road Sightseeing point 105 bird species (75 nesting), i.a. birds as precious as River, lake Sambory Giełczyn Secondary road Observation tower headcount and environmental Forest PKP Narew Railway Parking Tykocin Góra Strękowa Hiking trail Stronghold Meadow, Wetland

a Wizna w Horse riding trail Catholic Church Town, Village a z

s Greater Spotted Eagle, Eurasian Eagle Owl r a Bicycle trail Orthodox Church 0 1 2 3 4 5 km preferences of ungulate mammals W Educational path Synagogue and White-backed Woodpecker G. Kwiatkowski, A. Wiśniewski 2004

The Red Bog strict protection zone

It is one of the oldest and the most famous protected area in Poland. It is probably Habitats & soils Vegetation named after red colour of water observed between tussocks of sedge and moss. The documenting of plant communities (over 200 17 research spots Red Bog forest reserve was established in determination of surface formation, stratigraphy, types of phytosociological photos taken) 1925 with the area of 2.179 ha. According to soil forming habitats, soil subtype charting of plant communities prof.. Władysław Szafer (1932) “the bog evaluation of range changes of forest pine forest with transition to the birch forest” water level depth measurements communities, scrub communities and open terrain covered the area. Its aim was to protect the volumetric moisture content of soil formations using communities in last 50 years on a basis of aerial one of the last Elk (Alces alces) refuge in photo analysis Poland. It is a spot where Elk, in number of reflectometry (TDR - Time Domain Reflectometry) several individuals, survived the World War 19 strictly protected species localized including samples of surface formations taken from 90 layers II. Thoughtful care allowed successful rare and endangered ones rebuilding of Polish population of that GPS and leveling measurements locating of 15 test fields for evaluation of impact species. of big herbivores on vegetation This reserve, with adjoining Grzędy reserve, research of tree stand age structure were made into one nature reserve with the total area of about 12,000 ha and was named Red Bog (Czerwone Bagno) in 1981. It become part of the Biebrza National Park, in the year of establishment (1993). The Red Bog strict protection zone covers Meteorology Hydrology & hydrogeology about 3000 ha according to the data from 2007. Only indispensable scientific 4 measurement campaigns 7 measurement campaigns researches are carried out here. Neither the installment of gas sampling equipment 31 geological probes installed economic activities nor the tourist traffic take place in the zone. Nevertheless, the drawing gas samples for greenhouse water level measurements in 35 wells educational trail along the boardwalk gases analysis 29 piezometers in 17 locations with 17 automatic water leading to the observation platform allows level sensors seeing fragments of this precious area. leveling of 9 piezometers cataloguing and identification of stream network in field

GIS & Data bases

launch of redbog.sggw.pl server with groupware environment © over 8 000 unique page visits preparation of base maps for all project teams preparation of data bases for 4 teams