|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
| Biosphere Reserve Information | ||||
|
BABIA GORA |
|
|||
|
||||
| General Description |
The Babia Gora Biosphere Reserve is the second highest mountain massif in Poland and is situated in the Beskids Mountains. Its highest peak reaches 1,725 meters above sea level and forms a watershed between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea basins. Four habitats, changing with altitude, are represented in the biosphere reserve: the lower forest belt (up to 1,150 meters), the upper forest belt (up to 1,390 meters), the dwarf pine belt (up to 1,650 meters) and the alpine belt (up to 1,725 meters). The biosphere reserve was extended as a result of the periodic review in year 2000. It now includes a state forest oriented to near-natural forest management, as well as inhabited areas. The Babia Gora Mountain ridge was a state border until 1918 and the communities living on the different sides of the massif have developed independently, giving rise to different architecture, folklore, clothing and dialects. The main economic activities are agriculture, cattle breeding, forestry, carpentry and agro-tourism. The biosphere reserve has only 20 inhabitants, however some 56,000 visitors annually spend their holidays in the area (2001). Babiogórski National Park, which covers the core area of the biosphere reserve, has a visitor center organizing educational programmes and guided tours for both visitors and locals. |
|||
| Major ecosystem type | Mixed mountain and highland systems | |||
| Major habitats & land cover types | Lower forest belt (up to +1,150 m) characterized by Carpathian beech forest (Dentario glandulosae - Fagetum), fir forest (Galio - Abietetum), mixed fir and spruce forest (Abieti - Picetum montanum) etc.; upper forest belt (+1,150 to +1,390 m) with Picetum excelsae carpaticum; subalpine belt (1390-1650 m) dwarf pine thicket with Pinetum mughi carpaticum, Adynostyletum alliariae, Petasitetum kabilkiani, Vaccinium myrtillus etc.; alpine belt (+1,650 to +1,725m) with Deschampsio-Luzuletum and Junco trifidi - Festucetum supinae; residential areas; agroecosystems; pasture land | |||
| Location | 49°28' to 49°38'N; 19°27' to 19°38'E | |||
| Area (hectares) | ||||
| Total | 11,829 | |||
| Core area(s) | 1,062 | |||
| Buffer zone(s) | 2,330 | |||
| Transition area(s) when given | 8,437 | |||
| Altitude (metres above sea level) | +620 to +1,725 | |||
| Year designated | 1976, extension 2001 | |||
| Administrative authorities | Babia Gora National Park | |||
 |
||||
| Brief description |
Regional monitoring of quality of water resources in main groundwater basins Measurements of snow patches Monitoring of semi-natural communities - impact of mowing on a composition of plant species Monitoring of fir sampling on controlled areas - research of the impact that tapping and biting by the deer family have on the fir restocking Monitoring of the impact of active protection on forest ecosystems - research on changes of a composition and a structure of tree stands using 600 permanent plots Monitoring of forest tree pests - observation of insect populations Monitoring of the deer family Monitoring of wolves and lynx - counting as indicator species for the program of rebuilding forest migrational corridors Monitoring of bumblebees (on meadows) Touristic capacity |
|||
| Specific variables... | ||||
| Abiotic | Abiotic factors, groundwater, hydrology, monitoring/methodologies. | |||
| Biodiversity | Community studies/Communities, conservation, ecology, forest systems, indicators, invertebrates/insects/spiders, mammals, methodologies, pests/diseases, plants, population genetics/population dynamics, restoration/rehabilitation/redevelopment, temperate grassland, wildlife. | |||
| Socio-economic | Tourism. | |||
| Integrated monitoring | Impact and risk studies/Environmental impact, management issues. | |||
 |
||||
| Contact address |
Jozef Omylak Babia Gora National Park Zawoja 1403 34-223 Zawoja Poland |
|||
| Telephone | (48.33) 877 5110 (48.33) 877 5554 |
|||
| Fax | (48.33) 877 55 54 | |||
|
park@bpn.babia-gora.pl adminbpn@babia-gora.pl |
||||
| Web site | www.bpn.babia-gora.pl | |||
 |
||||
| Last updated: 3/9/2005 |
|
