Biebrza National Park

Coordinates: 53°28′00″N 22°39′41″E / 53.4666°N 22.6613°E / 53.4666; 22.6613
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Biebrza National Park
Polish: Biebrzański Park Narodowy
Biebrza River at Burzyn, Poland
Park logo with Ruff
Map showing the location of Biebrza National Park
Map showing the location of Biebrza National Park
Location in Poland
LocationPodlaskie Voivodeship, Poland
Nearest cityOsowiec-Twierdza
Coordinates53°28′00″N 22°39′41″E / 53.4666°N 22.6613°E / 53.4666; 22.6613
Area592.23 km2 (228.66 sq mi)
Established9 September 1993
Governing bodyMinistry of the Environment
www.biebrza.org.pl
Official nameBiebrzański National Park
Designated24 October 1995
Reference no.756[1]

Biebrza National Park (Polish: Biebrzański Park Narodowy) is a national park in Podlaskie Voivodeship, northeastern Poland, along the Biebrza River.

The largest of Poland's 23 national parks,[2] the Biebrza National Park was created on 9 September 1993. Its total area is 592.23 km2 (228.66 sq mi), of which forests cover 155.47 km2, fields and meadows are spread over 181.82 km2 and marshes with an area of 254.94 km2.

Biebrza Marshes[edit]

The Biebrza Marshes are the most valuable part of the park. Biebrza National Park protects vast and relatively untouched fenlands with a unique variety of several communities of plants, rare wetland birds, and mammals such as elk and beaver. The Biebrza wetlands as well as the Narew River valleys are very important centres for birds’ nesting, feeding and resting. In 1995 the park was designated as a wetland site of worldwide significance and is under the protection of the Ramsar Convention.

Red Marshes[edit]

The most important part of the park is Red Marsh (Polish: Rezerwat przyrody Czerwone Bagno), which is under strict protection.

The park's headquarters is located in Osowiec-Twierdza 8 village, within the grounds of the historic Osowiec Fortress from the 19th century, near Goniądz.

2020 April fires[edit]

On 18 April 2020 a fire broke out that destroyed at least 6,000 hectares of grass and woodland. This fire was caused by illegal grass burning. While usually the fire would have been put out with the onset of the flooding of the grassland, this year's low water level meant that the fire kept on raging until it was finally declared under control on April 26. It has been the most devastating fire since 1992.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Biebrzański National Park". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Główny Urząd Statystyczny / Edukacja statystyczna / Polskie parki narodowe w obiektywie statystyki publicznej". stat.gov.pl. Archived from the original on 2022-12-18. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
  3. ^ "Biebrza National Park Fires in Poland". Payne Institute for Public Policy. Colorado School of Mines. 14 May 2020.

External links[edit]