Arboretum Leśne im. prof. Stefana Białoboka w Stradomi Dolnej

Arboretum Leśne im. prof. Stefana Białoboka in Stradomia Dolna, run by the Syców Forest District, is among the largest sites of its kind in Poland. It covers around 650 hectares in the Dziadowa Kłoda municipality, in Oleśnica County, where the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary also stands.

From a forest nursery to an arboretum

The site grew out of a specialist forest nursery founded in 1990. Its transformation into an arboretum took place around 1994, and the official opening was held on 10 November 1995. It was named in honour of Professor Stefan Białobok, a dendrologist and member of the Polish Academy of Sciences. In February 1996 a Scientific Council was established to advise on the site's development. The main development of the exhibition grounds took place between 1995 and 1999, and in 1997 an alpine garden was created.

Collections of trees and shrubs

The collections comprise around 1,500 taxa of trees and shrubs and hundreds of ornamental species from Europe, Asia and North America. The alpine garden holds more than 100 species of alpine plants, the rhododendron collection numbers around 300 varieties, and altogether the arboretum has 1,158 species and varieties of trees and shrubs, including more than 100 protected species. One of the pine collections, numbering around 270 varieties, is among the most extensive in Poland. The site also has five bodies of water, home to more than 100 species of aquatic plants.

Clone archive

Since 2001 a clone archive has operated here, preserving the genetic material of valuable trees, including monumental specimens and endangered trees from western Poland.

Visiting

Of the site's 650 hectares, around 85 hectares are open for visiting. Three colour-coded walking paths have been marked out, ranging from 1 to 3 kilometres in length, and a full visit takes up to around 2.5 hours. Some of the educational paths are devoted to invasive species and how the ecosystem functions. The arboretum operates seasonally, from April to October.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Leśna 6, 56-504 Stradomia Dolna.
• Getting there: Stradomia Dolna, Dziadowa Kłoda municipality, Oleśnica County, near Syców, where the Regional Museum in Syców is also located.
• The visiting season runs from 1 April to 30 October, and the office is open Monday to Friday, 7:30-15:30. Hours are worth checking on the arboretum's website before your visit.