Roztocze National Park

Roztocze National Park (Roztoczański Park Narodowy) lies in southeastern Poland’s Lublin Voivodeship, safeguarding the most valuable natural parts of the central Roztocze range. It spans 84.83 square kilometers, with forests covering 81.02 square kilometers and strictly protected zones accounting for 8.06 square kilometers. The park’s management operates from Zwierzyniec.

The area’s history is tied to the Zamoyski family estate, established in 1589, which had its base at Zwierzyniec. Conservation efforts began in 1934 with the creation of the Bukowa Góra Preserve, now a strictly protected area. In 1938, Poland issued its first law protecting birds of prey on the Zamoyski estate. The park itself was formed from state forests in the Kosobudy and Zwierzyniec districts, previously part of the Zamoyski holdings. The region saw fighting during the January Uprising and both World Wars, with cemeteries in Zwierzyniec and elsewhere serving as reminders. Roztocze National Park was officially established in 1974, initially covering 48.01 square kilometers. Its headquarters occupy a restored house that once belonged to the Zamoyski estate’s administrator.

Geographically, the park sits in the scenic Roztocze Środkowe area, within the upper Wieprz River valley, separating the Lublin Upland from the Sandomierz Dale. The Wieprz, the main river, has second-class purity water. Two streams, the Szum (2.5 kilometers) and the Świerszcz (7.5 kilometers), originate here. The park features over 400 ancient trees designated as natural monuments, including some of Poland’s tallest firs, reaching up to 50 meters. Visitors can explore five walking trails or a dedicated bicycle route.

Wildlife includes red deer, roe deer, Central European boar, red fox, Eurasian wolf, and European badger. Eurasian beavers were reintroduced in 1982 and now thrive in the Wieprz valley. Konik horses were introduced in 1982. About 190 bird species have been recorded, among them eagles, storks, and woodpeckers. Reptiles include lizards, common European adders, grass snakes, and the endangered European pond turtle. Over 2,000 insect species have been identified.