Poleski National Park is the only place in Poland where the European pond turtle has a viable, protected breeding population.
The park's landscape was shaped by the melting of the Dnieper glacier, creating unique karst depressions.
The administrative area of the park covers a rare 'polder' system that is critical for local migratory bird flyways.
The park contains the 'Durne Bagno' area, which represents one of the best-preserved raised bog ecosystems in the region.
The directorate oversees the protection of rare orchid species that grow exclusively in the park's alkaline fens.
The Directorate of Poleski National Park in Urszulin serves as the primary administrative and educational hub for one of Poland's most significant wetland ecosystems. The site manages a landscape defined by expansive peat bogs, shallow lakes, and karst features protected under the Ramsar Convention. It operates a nature museum that provides context for the biodiversity found throughout the surrounding park, including rare flora like sundews and fauna such as the European pond turtle. Visitors can access documentation, educational exhibits, and mapping resources for the park's multiple nature trails and elevated boardwalks. The facility is the central point for coordinating research and conservation efforts across the park's diverse marshland habitats.
The educational displays within the onsite museum offer excellent macro-photography opportunities of preserved flora and local ecological maps.
Visit the onsite nature museum first to understand which trail ecosystems are currently accessible before heading out to the park grounds.
Carry high-quality insect repellent if visiting during the spring or summer months, as wetland areas have high mosquito density.
Use the Directorate's official maps to identify boardwalk locations, as these are the only safe ways to traverse the unstable peat bogs.
Do not attempt to walk off-trail into the bogs or marshlands, as the ground can be dangerously unstable and protected by law.
The administrative office typically closes on weekends, though the educational facilities may have different seasonal availability.
Stick strictly to marked boardwalks to protect fragile peat mosses and avoid disturbing ground-nesting birds.
