Bachanowo Boulder Field Nature Reserve on the Czarna Hańcza River

The Bachanowo Boulder Field Nature Reserve is a geological and landscape area covering 0.98 hectares, located in the Suwałki region, in the Jeleniewo municipality, near Lake Hańcza. Established in 1972, its purpose is to protect a unique post-glacial landscape characterized by a concentration of approximately 10,000 glacial erratics with circumferences ranging from 0.5 to 8 meters. These boulders, including granites, syenites, gneisses, and other rocks, are situated on four terraces formed by two glacial meltwater channels dating back to the Ice Age. Due to glacial activity, the boulders were transported from Scandinavia and exposed as a result of erosion caused by meltwater. As part of the Suwałki Landscape Park, the reserve is also rich in diverse species of lichens and mosses, including rare mountain varieties. Additionally, the area is currently used as pastureland, demonstrating how nature and human activity can coexist harmoniously. Thus, the Bachanowo Boulder Field represents a significant element of the region's natural and cultural heritage, combining geological and biological values with local traditions.