Dunes of the Stobrawa Landscape Park

North of Opole, in the forests along the Stobrawa and Oder rivers, lie dunes you would hardly expect here: sandy hills up to 20 metres high, covered in pine forest. They are one of the most striking landscapes of the Stobrawa Landscape Park, established on 28 September 1999 over 52,636.5 ha. Forests cover almost 80% of the park, and pine woods growing on dune sand make up the largest share.

Dunes under the pines

Inland dunes are hills piled up by the wind. In Poland most of them formed after the last ice sheet retreated, from outwash and river-terrace sand, and were later fixed in place by vegetation. The Opole Landscape Parks authority notes that pine forests thrive on the park's many dunes. Dry pine woods grow on the crests, while in the hollows at the foot of the dunes, known as deflation basins, damp and bog pine forests can develop.

Kęszyce: the newest nature reserve

The best-preserved patch of this landscape is protected by the Kęszyce nature reserve, created by order of the Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Opole on 15 July 2026. It covers 59.57 ha (plus a 53.60 ha buffer zone) and protects pine forests more than 200 years old on one of the most impressive dunes of the Opole Plain, with height differences of about 20 m. Mixed forest with beech grows on the northern and eastern slopes, and birds here include the Eurasian pygmy owl, the green woodpecker and the stock dove. Among plants, the park highlights interrupted clubmoss and marsh Labrador tea.

Nature of the park

More than 60 species of legally protected plants have been recorded in the park, including royal fern, round-leaved sundew and Turk's cap lily. The park is also a refuge for birds and animals of the river valleys, such as beaver, otter and white-tailed eagle.

Tripto tip

The easiest starting point is the park headquarters in Ładza (ul. Reymonta 3), home to the "Centrum Doświadczania Świata" nature education centre with an exhibition room and a tourist information point (Mon–Fri 7:15–15:15). An educational trail nearby leads through pine forest, with stops about the plants and animals of the woods. Comfortable shoes help on sandy tracks, and in summer bring tick and mosquito repellent. A walk through dune forest takes 1–2 hours; cyclists can use the "Stobrawska Wstęga" network of bike routes.