Wigry National Park (Polish: Wigierski Park Narodowy) is a national park in the Podlaskie Voivodeship in northeastern Poland. It includes parts of the Masurian Lake District and the Augustów Primeval Forest (Puszcza Augustowska). The park is named after Lake Wigry, which is the largest lake in the area. It is also recognized as a Ramsar wetland site, one of 13 such sites in Poland.

The park was established on January 1, 1989, and covers an area of 150.86 square kilometers (58.25 square miles). Of this, 94.64 square kilometers are forest, 29.08 square kilometers are water, and 27.14 square kilometers are other types of land, mostly agricultural. Strictly protected areas cover 6.23 square kilometers, with 2.83 square kilometers being forest. The park’s headquarters is located in the town of Suwałki.

The landscape of the park was shaped by a glacier that covered the region about 12,000 years ago. As the glacier slowly moved north, it created valleys, many of which now hold water in the form of lakes. Some of the shallowest lakes have turned into peat bogs over time. The northern part of the park has hills, with elevations reaching 180 meters above sea level. The southern part is flat and covered mostly by forest, which is part of the larger Puszcza Augustowska.

The park is known for its many lakes, which vary in shape, size, and depth. There are 42 lakes in total. The largest, Lake Wigry, covers 21.87 square kilometers and has a maximum depth of 73 meters. It is located in the central part of the park. The main river, Czarna Hańcza, flows through Lake Wigry and is a popular location for kayaking.

History

In the 1920s, people first tried to protect Lake Wigry and its surrounding area. Kazimierz Kulwieć began these efforts, followed later by Bolesław Hryniewiecki, a botanist, and Alfred Lityński, a limnologist. These early efforts did not lead to lasting protection, but they helped create a hydrobiological station on the lake’s shore in Płociczno. The station operated until World War II began in 1939. In 1931, the first protected area, called a partial reserve named “Wigry,” was created. Two more reserves, “Ostoja Bobrów Stary Folwark” (Stary Folwark Beavers’ Refuge) and “Ostoja Bobrów Zakąty” (Zakąty Beavers’ Refuge), were established in 1959 and 1962 to protect beavers. In 1970, Lake Wądołek and part of a nearby forest became the first strict nature reserve in the region. In 1975, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added Lake Wigry to its list of the world’s most valuable water reservoirs as part of the “Aqua” project.

Efforts to protect Lake Wigry further led to the creation of Wigry Landscape Park in 1976, covering nearly 11,000 hectares. Soon after, work began to establish a national park, which the government approved in June 1988. Wigry National Park officially started operations on January 1, 1989, and covered 14,840 hectares. In 1997, the park’s area was expanded to 15,085 hectares.

In 2002, Wigry National Park was added to the Ramsar Convention list of wetlands of international importance. It became part of the Natura 2000 network in 2004.

Wildlife

Wigry National Park is home to more than 1,700 animal species. This includes 46 types of mammals, 202 types of birds, 12 types of amphibians, and 5 types of reptiles. The European beaver is the most notable animal in the park, living in lakes and rivers. There are about 250 beavers in the park. Wolves also live in the park. The park’s waters support 32 types of fish. Some animals can only be found in Wigry National Park. A total of 289 species are protected by law, and 128 of these are listed on the Red List of Endangered Species in Poland.

An interesting fact is that there are no beech trees in the park. Instead, fir trees are the main type of tree found in all forests. A large part of the park’s area is covered by peat bogs, some of which remain in their original, untouched condition.

Tourism

Northeastern Poland, including the park, is a popular place for tourists, especially during the summer. The park has more than 190 kilometers of walking trails. People who enjoy fishing and sailing use the largest lakes, such as Wigry, Pierty, Leszczewek, and Mulaczysko. Points of interest include a former monastery, which now houses an artist residency operated by the Ministry of Culture.