Wolin National Park was established in 1960 and protecting the environment of the largest Polish-island Wolin. After including sea waters into the boundaries of the Park in 1996, Wolinski National Park became the first Polish maritime park. The current area of the Park ranges to 10,937 ha,. Forest ecosystems occupy 4648 ha (42% of the Park), aquatic ecosystems 4682 ha (43%) and non-forest ecosystems on land 1,607 ha (15%).
Park mission is to preserve characteristic Wolin landscapes which are the result of glacial activity and active island’s modeling by the powers of the sea. The distinctive features of aforementioned landscape are the moraine hills, active Baltic cliffs, moraine lakes, dune spit and the unique archipelago of islands in the marshy delta of the reverse Świna coastal waters of the Pomeranian Bay and part of the Szczecin Lagoon.
Across Wolin Island we can found on more than 1,300 species of vascular plants, including many of rare and protected species, about 900 of which lives in the Park itself. Among them are particularly valuable brackish species (halophytes) – like Lysimachia maritima, sea aster, Spergularia salina, black needle rush, and more.. Shallow bottom of the Baltic Sea is occupied by macroalgae: green algae, brown algae and red algae. Onshore Wolin Islan
d are covered with forests, with dominant species beech trees, beech and oak woods along with pine forests. Among the most valuable woodland communities we can point orchid beech trees, which dwelling alongside of a narrow strip of the highest sea cliffs. Specific non-forest plant communities occur in the Reverse Delta of Świna. We can meet here: Myrica gale, cladium mariscus, holygrass and particularly rare plants of so-called “salt meadows “ – halophytes.
Fauna of the island is very diverse and richly represented by rare species. There are over 230 species of birds living the park. Among the nesting ones is white-tailed eagle (the symbol of the park), aquatic warbler, dunlin, red-breasted flycatcher. The park is located on an important, southern Baltic bird’s migration route and plays an essential role in protecting the existing wetland birds that come here in search for both food and are sanctuary during spring and autumn migrations. The Park waters are the rest place even to several thousands of birds of a single kind. Mostly red-breasted mergansers, common mergansers, long-tailed duck and common scoters.
Among many factors affecting the quality of the Park’s environment is the industrialization, that leaves a grizzly impact of natural ecosystems of Wolin, a swell as the disappearance of extensive agriculture on the islands along with a constant tourist pressure. Protective measures are being undertaken here in order to reduce these factors. One of which is a reactivation of salty meadows usage, as well as the efforts to remove alien species from the forests and reducing human pressure on Park’s ecosystems.
Providing for tourism and education itself are important part of the park’s mission. The park has a well-developed infrastructure of tourism development: Education Centre-Museum of the Natural History in Międzyzdroje, Bison Demonstration Farmstead (circa 1.5 km east to the center of Międzyzdroje) , 4 viewpoints including "Gosań" the highest cliff in Poland, 3 parking spaces and a network of hiking trails and educational paths (over 50 km).
Find out more on:
http://www.wolinpn.pl/
