Natura 2000 areas

Natura 2000 is the latest form of protection. Established in 2004 in order to protect vulnerable areas, habitat types, plants and animal species of importance across Europe. The bases for the foundation of Natura 2000 are European Directives: Birds - designating areas because of bird species and habitats - designating areas because of the important and protected habitats across Europe. In accordance with the directives special bird protection areas and special areas of habitat protection are designated.

On the area of Sława Śląska Forest District there are four areas of Natura 2000 network - two founded under the Birds Directive and two under the Habitats Directive.

"Middle Odra Valley" PLB080004

The area established in 2007. Total area of 33 677.80 hectares constituting a special bird protection area (SPA). It protects wildlife of the Middle Odra Valley from the town of Czerna (Lower Silesia, Żukowice commune) to the village of Nowy Lubusz (Lubuskie, Slubice commune) - a length of 184 km.

This area is dominated by open landscape associated with the valley of Odra River, its oxbow lakes and tributaries - cultivated fields, meadows and pastures with fragments of floodplain forests.

Presence of bird species included in the Birds Directive e.g. whooper swan, black kite, red kite, marsh harrier, Crex crex corncrake, kingfisher and woodpecker average, common crane was noted on the area.

Within Sława Śląska Forest District there are 498.92 ha, which represent less than 2% of the total area of the refuge.

"Sława Lake District" PLB300011

The area was established in 2007 under the Birds Directive with a total area of 39 144.83 hectares, constituting a special bird protection area. On the area a fragment of Sławskie Lake District is protected - lakes (Sławskie Lake, Dominickie Lake, Wieleńskie Lake, Osłonińskie Lake, Przemęckie Lake, Blotnicki Lake, Tarnowskie Wielkie Lake) and a mosaic of farmlands and forests.

Valuable species of birds in the area include: bittern, little bittern, great crested grebe, Greylag Goose, Gadwall, Common Goldeneye, Red Kite, bluethroat, bearded tit.

6 941.45 ha constitutes nearly 27% of the total area within range of Sława Śląska Forest District.

"Nowa Sól Odra Valley" PLH080014

The refuge was established in 2008 for the purpose of protection of valuable natural habitats across Europe - Special Areas of Conservation. The Nowa Sól Odra Valley covers the area of 6040.30 hectares and protects the river valley with its floodplain fragments of wet meadows, pastures and riparian forests from the village of Dobrzejowice (Lower Silesia, Głogów district, Żukowice commune) to the bridge between the towns of Zabór and Bojadła in Lubuskie Province.

On this area there are habitats listed in the Habitats Directive: herb mountain and riverside herbs, oxbow lakes and natural eutrophic water reservoirs with the communities of Nympheion, Potamion, flooded muddy banks of rivers, Alluvial meadows of river valleys of the Cnidion dubii, lowland and mountain fresh meadows used extensively, sour beech, Galio-Carpinetum oak-hornbeam forests, riparian willow, poplar, alder and ash, riparian forests, oak-elm-ash, Euro-Siberian steppic woods with Quercus spp.

Within Sława Śląska Forest District there are 498.92 hectares of land that overlaps with the nature area of the Middle Odra Valley.

"Sława Common Crane Swamp" PLH080047

The area was created in 2011 for valuable bog habitats, covers lowering by the shore of Sławskie Lake in its north-west part. Powered by the seepage waters from the slope of the basin and rainwater. The landscape is defined by two open surfaces of bogs, separated by a narrow strip of deciduous forest surrounded by pine woods. The surface of this area is 41.7 hectares in is located within Sława Śląska Forest District. Protected habitats include alkaline fens, riparian willow, Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior. There is also a protected plant - liparis loeselii. Sława Common Crane Swamp coincides with the surface of bird area of NATURA 2000 of Sława Lake District.