"Muszkowicki Las Bukowy" Nature Reserve

The "Muszkowicki Las Bukowy" Nature Reserve is a forest nature reserve in the Niemcza-Strzelin Hills, on the Sudeten Foreland, in the Ciepłowody municipality, about 10 kilometres west of Henryków. The reserve lies entirely within the "Muszkowicki Las Bukowy" Natura 2000 area and within the Niemcza-Strzelin Hills Protected Landscape Area.

History of protection

The reserve was established by an order of the Minister of Forestry and Timber Industry on 30 December 1966. It covers an area of 16.43 hectares, and was formerly called "Bugaj". Protection was introduced to preserve the natural beech forest and fragments of streamside riparian forest with a rich understorey flora.

What the reserve protects

The reserve covers a fragment of beech forest on the southern slope of the Bucznik hill, above the Zameczny Stream, home to trout. Besides beech, sessile oaks, sycamores, spruces, ashes, wych elms and small-leaved limes also grow here. The understorey contains around 20 tree species and 80 herbaceous plant species, including rare ones: great horsetail (Equisetum telmateia), yellow archangel, sweet woodruff, spring vetchling and herb paris. Orchids are also numerous: broad-leaved helleborine, violet helleborine, lesser butterfly-orchid, common twayblade and common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii). The reserve has one of the region's larger populations of spring snowflake and Alpine arum.

Old-growth stands and animals

In the deep valley of the Zameczny Stream, the most valuable old-growth stand, several hundred years old, is protected. The old stand favours the nesting of rare birds. A rich invertebrate fauna also lives here, including the Carpathian snail, rare in Poland, which reaches the northern limit of its range here.

Lusatian culture burial mounds

In the beech forest not far from the reserve there is a burial mound cemetery of the Lusatian culture, consisting of 29 mounds, an archaeological monument.

Practical information

• Village: Muszkowice, Ciepłowody municipality, Ząbkowice County.
• Location: southern part of the Niemcza Hills, about 10 km west of Henryków.
• A forest area within a Natura 2000 site and the Niemcza-Strzelin Hills Protected Landscape Area - it is worth checking the rules for entering the reserve before your visit.