Załęcze Landscape Park

The Załęcze Landscape Park, established on January 5, 1978, as the first landscape park in central Poland, spans an area of 14,750 hectares and is located mainly in the Łódź Voivodeship. The park was created to protect the unique Jurassic landscape of the Wieluń Upland. The park's territory encompasses a meander of the Warta River and its gorges. The park boasts rich flora, with nearly 770 taxa of vascular plants and many rare protected species, such as rock garlic and water lilies. Forests dominate the natural structure, primarily consisting of poor pine forests and small fragments of more valuable deciduous forests. The park's fauna is also diverse, including around 130 species of birds and many species of mammals, amphibians, and fish, including otters, beavers, and rare butterflies. The park is rich in historical monuments, including 16th-century wooden churches of the Wieluń type and burial mounds from the 2nd–3rd centuries AD. The region's historical wealth also includes archaeological sites and technical monuments, such as the 19th-century mill in Kępowizna. The park also features several nature reserves, including Bukowa Góra and Dąbrowa in Niżankowice. An interesting feature are the caves, such as Za Kratą and Stalagmitowa, which attract caving enthusiasts. Numerous hiking and cycling trails are available for tourists, leading through the park's most interesting corners, including the Warta Valley and its natural monuments, such as Góra Wapiennik and Granatowe Źródła, which are unique examples of karst springs. The park also includes ecological sites, such as the Wronia Woda oxbow lake. A curiosity is the "Objawienie" spring, which, according to local legends, has healing properties. Educational centers, such as Nadwarciański Gród, offer accommodation and activities, encouraging visitors to explore the beauty of this unique place. The Załęcze Landscape Park is a monument to nature and culture, combining biodiversity with a rich historical heritage.