The Drawa National Park has been in existence since 1990. It covers large parts of the valleys of the Drawa and Plotniczna rivers along with the surrounding forests. In total, within the park's boundaries there are 11 ha. As much as 83% of the entire park is covered by forests. Mainly these are beech forests and artificially planted by man pine forests. A large part of the forests found among the Drawsko Forest are about 120 years old. There are also exceptionally old specimens: 450-year-old oaks or 330-year-old beeches. The territory of the park is overgrown with more than 900 species of vascular plants living in 200 different plant communities. In the park you can come across insectivorous sundews, orchids, small-leaved cranberries or golden-headed lilies. All these plants are under strict protection. A highlight of the park are also peat bogs, which provide habitats for many bog and rush plants. Animals of the Drawa National Park are mostly typical species for forests in northern Poland: roe deer, deer, wild boar or foxes, as well as otters and beavers living by the waters. On the other hand, the world of birds is very interesting - many raptors, such as ospreys, white-tailed eagles, eagle owls and buzzards can be spotted over the Drawa forests. Reptiles are represented, among others, by the pond turtle. The clear waters of the rivers flowing through the park are home to some 41 species of fish. Among them are the exceptionally rare lake trout, sea trout, whitetiphead, grayling, whitefish, vendace or trout. Fishing is allowed in selected areas of the park after purchasing a license. One of the most interesting ways to visit the park is rafting the Drawa River. The length of the river within the park is 41 km, which makes for an interesting trip of several days. Hiking and biking trails are also established within the park, with a total length of more than 70 km. Getting around the park by car can be problematic. Few roads are made available for motorized tourists, and most of them are of poor quality. Both within the park and in its vicinity, there are many accommodations of varying standards - from campgrounds to posh hotels.
12.06.2014
