Słowiński National Park (Słowiński Park Narodowy)
Słowiński National Park is a nature reserve
situated in Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It covers an area of
186 sq km (72 sq mi). The park was created in 1967 with an initial
area of 180.69 km²; today it is only slightly larger - 186.18 km².
In 1997, UNESCO recognized the park as a biosphere reserve under the
Man and the Biosphere program; in 1995 was recognized as an object
of the Ramsar Convention.
In 1963, near the village of Kluki,
in the territory of the subsequently established park, the Slovinsky
Village ethnographic museum was created, demonstrating the rural
life and culture of the Slovinians who lived here in the middle of
the 19th century.
Dunes
In the past, the park was a gulf
of the Baltic Sea, but the activities of the sea created sand dunes
that separated the gulf from the sea. Dunes move slowly, at a speed
of 3 to 10 meters per year, some of them are quite high (up to 30
m). The highest point of the park - Rovokol (115 m) is an excellent
observation post.
Flora and fauna
Water spaces occupy 55%
of the park; these are mainly lakes: Lebskoe, Gardno and
Dolge-Velke. The park is also crossed by 7 rivers. Forests of the
park are mainly represented by pine (80% of the total forest area).
There are also peat bogs of various types.
257 bird species
live here, the explanation of which is the location of the park on
the bird migration path. Among mammals, it is worth noting: deer,
moose, wild boars, hares, foxes, raccoon dogs, otters, beavers,
badgers, ermines, muskrats, etc.
Tourism
There is a
developed tourist infrastructure. About 140 km of hiking trails pass
through the park.