The Wielkopolski National Park

The Wielkopolski National Park was created on April 16th 1957. It is located upon the river Warta, to the south of Poznan. At the time of its creation, the border of the park contained the surface of 9600 hectares, with about 5100 hectares remaining under the government of the park. In 1996, its border was changed, and currently contain a surface of 7584 hectares.

Part of the ancient pine forests in a state close to the primitive state remains under protection of strict reserves. In the 1980s, the inventories proved the existence of more than 900 vascular plants, 276 mushrooms, 170 mosses and 120 lichens.

The fauna of the Wielkopolski National Park is dominated by by middle-european and euro-siberian species. The most numerous represented animals are insects – more than 3000 types. The forest is full of beetles. The dry and warm parts of the forest are inhabited by grasshoppers and crickets.
There are also more than 40 types of mammals, including insectivores such as our smallest mammals – the shrews. Among the carnivores you can find the marten, the badger and the fox. The broad forests are also home to numerous deers and boars.

The birds of the park are represented by by 227 species. Of the more rare types of birds we must mention the kraska, the kingfisher and the black woodpecker. When you look at the lakes, you can often spot the mallard duck, the garganey and the great crested Grebe.