Mount Ślęża Nature Reserve

The "Mount Ślęża" nature reserve covers the summit part of Mount Ślęża and lies within the Ślęża Landscape Park, in the Sobótka municipality. It is the oldest form of nature protection in this area, covering both the natural values and the historical ones associated with the summit.

History of its establishment

The reserve was established by an order of the Minister of Forestry of 15 February 1954, under its original name "Góra Sobótka-Ślęż". It initially covered an area of 142.70 hectares. In 2003 the area was enlarged to 161.56 hectares and the name was changed to "Góra Ślęża". The currently listed size of the reserve is 161.43 hectares.

What it protects

The reserve was created to protect the historic monuments and landscape values of the summit. It also protects a small fragment of deciduous forest in the summit part of Ślęża, with numerous old, well-grown trees and rich undergrowth. From a natural point of view, the rock formations and gabbro boulder fields are valuable, home to rare species of lichens, mosses and liverworts. The reserve has the status of a partial forest reserve, which means active protection applies within it.

Nearby

The reserve borders the built-up area of Sobótka, where the Stanisław Dunajewski Ślęża Museum is located, and in nearby Sulistrowiczki stands the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel.

Practical information

• Locality: Sobótka, Wrocław County; the area covers the summit part of Mount Ślęża.
• Getting there: the reserve lies within the Ślęża Landscape Park, accessible via tourist trails leading to the summit of Ślęża.
• What to expect: deciduous forest with old-growth trees, rock formations and gabbro boulder fields; active protection applies, so movement is only allowed on marked trails.