Kampinoski National Park

Kamil Marek, geography teacher at Johannes Gutenberg Secondary School with bilingual branches in , National Park in the Mazovian region Kampinoski National Park - History

• Established16.01.1959 thanks to the efforts of professors Jadwiga and Roman Kobendza . Created for protection natural values of Kampinoska Forest together with memorials of Polish history and culture • II IUCN category • From 1999 birds refuge of European rank • 21.01.2000 together with buffer zone was recognized as the World Biosphere Reserve (76 233 ha) • From 2004 part of NATURA 2000 (Kampinoska Forest – area code PLC 140001) World Biosphere Reserve „Puszcza Kampinoska” Types of protection Strict nature protection • 22 strict protection areas - 4 686 ha (12%) • Monuments trees - 180 Active nature protection

• Re-establishing of disturbed water relations • Restructuring of tree stands • Meadows moving • Reintroductions of animals and plants – Elk - 1951 – Beaver – 1980 – Lynx - 1992 Landscape protection Cultural and historical values protection • The Kampinoska Forest has borne witness to many wars, uprisings and battles • Inside the park and on the buffer zone there are 39 monumental buildings Activities allowed -tourism

•500 000 – 1000 000 visitors per year •360 km marked tourist routes •200 km of bicycle trails •10 education trails •18 parking places •13 recreation areas • Entrance is free of charge educational activities, including: conducting classes, seminars, courses, workshops, seminars, study trips, etc . Restrictions in Kampinoski National Park Members staying in the park are required to observe bans and orders in force in the park and guidance park employees, guides or other persons authorized by the director of the park, and in particular prohibitions: a) the capture or killing of wild animals, collect or destroy eggs, in the form of a juvenile and developing forms of animals, deliberate disturbance of the animals, collecting antlers, destroying dens, nests, dens and other shelter animals and their breeding; b) the acquisition, destruction or willful damage to plants and fungi; c) the use, destruction, willful damage, pollution and making changes in natural objects, sites and resources, objects and elements of nature; d) acquisition of rocks, including peat, and fossils, including fossil remains of plants and animals; e) destroy soil or reassignment and land use; f) smoking fires, use grills and tobacco and light with an open flame outside places to designated; g) to conduct manufacturing, trading and farming, with the exception of places designated in the security plan or plan of protection tasks; h) harvesting of wild plants and mushrooms and parts thereof, of except in areas designated in the security plan or plan of protection tasks; i) catch fish and other aquatic organisms, with the exception of places designated in the security plan or task- protective; j) walking, cycling, skiing and riding on top, with the exception of trails and routes designated by the director of the national park; k) Dogs, except dog on a short leash in places designated in the security plan or task-protective; l) climbing, exploration works or reservoirs, with the exception of places made ​​available by the director of the park, m) motor vehicle traffic off-highway and off-highway situated on property owned by the park or in the perpetual usufruct of the park, as indicated by the director of the park; n) placarding, subtitles, advertising, and other characters, with the exception of road signs and marks relating to the protection of public safety and public order and other characters on terms agreed with the director of the park; o) disturbing the peace; p) the use of boats and other equipment motor, water sports and motor boats, swimming and sailing; q) camping, with the exception of places designated by the director of the park; y) input species of plants, animals and fungi without the consent of the minister responsible for the environment; s) the introduction of genetically modified organisms; t) the organization of tourist events, recreational, sports and cultural without the permission of the director of the park. Zoning. Geographic limits Total area – 38 544 ha Buffer zone – 37 756 ha Private grounds within park’s boundaries – appr. 5 275 ha Inhabitants inside the park borders – appr. 3000 Buffer zone inhabitants – 65 000 Geomorphology

- The whole area of National Park is located at the higher terrace of the river valley - Average elevation above sea level - 80 m - 22 to 14 thousands years ago, strong deposition of sand and gravel from the glacier melting water - Wind activity in subpolar climat created two belts of sand dunes, separated with wetlands - Highest dunes up to 30 meters Climatology characteristics

Winter

Summer

Spring Autumn Water courses - Vistula river and its tributaries heading west Plant communities

• 50 plant communities • 12 plants communities listed in EU Habitats Directive • Inc. 12 forest plants communities – Forests > 73% total area – Scots pine 71%, black alder 14%, oaks 9%, birches 6% • Average forest age appr. 67 years Marshland/swamps Meadows Flora

• Appr. 1410 species of vascular plants • 115 Bryophyta species • 146 species of lichens • 4 species are listed in EU Habitat Directive • many examples of relics and endemits Fungi Fauna – numbers of species

• Invertebrates – 2591 species – Insects – 2045 species – 2 sp. listed in UE Habitat directive • Vertebrates – 27 species of fishes – 13 species of amphibians – 6 species of reptiles – 157 species breeding birds – 52 species of mammals crane Birds and mammals

• Totally appr. 215 birds species • Appr. 153 breeding specie (Incl. White tailed eagle, lesser spotted eagle, crane. corncrake, black stork) – 46 sp in EU Habitat Directive • 52 species of mammals – 6 sp. in EU Habitat Directive lynx

black stork Buzzards and owl Long-eard owls Mammals Deer Elk bull

Elk cow with calf Threats

• Rapid urban development of buffer zone • Unregulated ground ownerships • Lowering of water ground level • Illegal cross country „tourism” • Wild fires • Illegal garbage dumping • Invasive plants species • Unstable law and lack of real nature protection policy • Lack of money Thank you for your attention

Warm thanks to Ms Katarzyna Fidler from Education Center of KPN in Izabelin EUROPEAN NATIONAL PARKS: DIDACTIC AND SOCIAL EXPLOITATION. SUSTAINABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT

• This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.