Conservation of nature

Abstract

Poland’s location in Central Europe, its lack of natural barriers to the east and west, and the overlapping influences of continental and maritime climates have combined to create a set of habitats and species rather different from the rest of Europe. Apart from abundant forest and bog habitats, there are fairly diverse meadow communities with some steppe species (in southeastern Poland), alpine-type mountain meadows (Tatra Mts), and peat bog and fen communities (the Baltic coast, northern Poland). The Vistula River and also many other Polish rivers are unregulated over long stages, creating unique ecological niches for numerous animal species.