Masovian Landscape Park

The Czesław Łaszek Masovian Landscape Park, established between 1986 and 1988, covers an area of 15,710 hectares in the southeastern part of Warsaw and the municipalities of Otwock, Józefów, and Karczew. It is part of the Warsaw Green Ring, which it forms together with Kampinos National Park and Chojnów Landscape Park. The park's design was developed by M.Sc. Eng. Arch. Bolesław Król, with scientific groundwork provided by research conducted at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW). In 2001, it was named after Czesław Łaszek, a person closely associated with nature conservation. The park encompasses a forested range that is a remnant of the 18th-century Osiecka Primeval Forest, as well as sections of the Świder and Mienia rivers. Over 70% of the park is covered by forests, including coniferous pine forests, and its botanical richness includes approximately 1,000 species of vascular plants, 60 of which are protected. The dominant tree species is the Scots pine, while in swampy areas, the dwarf birch thrives. The park's fauna comprises about 260 species of vertebrates, including 50 mammal species, 170 bird species, 5 reptile species, 10 amphibian species, and over 20 fish species. The largest mammal is the moose, and the bird species threatened with extinction on a global scale is the white-tailed eagle. Several nature reserves have been established within the park, such as the King Jan III Sobieski Nature Reserve and the Pogorzelski Peat Bog Reserve. Additionally, 60 natural monuments have been designated, most notably oaks, pines, and linden trees, including a small-leaved linden with a circumference of 6.8 meters. The park is not only a valuable natural area but also a site for conservation activities, including reintroduction programs for endangered species such as the European pond turtle and the peregrine falcon. An interesting fact is that 170 bird species have been identified in the park, 140 of which breed here, making it a significant bird habitat. The park attracts nature enthusiasts, hikers, and cyclists, offering a range of attractions in a beautiful natural setting.