Slowinski National Park

It was established in 1967, protecting the area of 18789 ha, of which 5935 ha are strictly protected, 25% is covered by forest, 54% by waters and 4% by meadows and peatbogs. In 1977 UNESCO recognized Slowinskie Coast National Park as the world relict of biosphere.

The park comprises a unique seaside area with wandering dunes and with 4 shallow littoral lakes: Lebsko (7140 ha), Gardno (2740 ha), Dolgie Wielkie and Male, which are separated from the sea by the Gardensko-Lebska Spit. Wandering sand makes non-stabilized dunes of various shapes reaching the height of 30-45 meters, covers the living seaside forests, swamps and settlements, uncovering at the same time the dead forests, remnants of trees and old dunes covered by native, fossil soil.

46 plant communities have been identified here, including 13 forest-thicket 6 peat and heath, 10 bulrush and rush, 11 meadow-grass and 6 initial dune-peat ones. The flora of the Park comprises 830 species of vascular plants; there are here species connected with the sea-coast zone, e.g. the Paltic rush and the toad-flax (Linaria odorta), subatlantic species, e.g. the cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix and the sweet gale Myrica gale, glacial relicts, e.g. the raspberry bush Rubus chamaemorus. The greatest peculiarity here is the sea-holly Eryngium maritimum.

The most precious fauna group are birds (around 250 species). To the rarest ones belong: the herring gull Larus argentatus, the sheldrake Tadorna tadorna, the golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, the eagle owl Bubo bubo, the white-tailed eagle Haliaetus albicilla, the lesser spotted eagle Aquila pomarina and the ruff Philomachus pugnax.