Masurian Landscape Park

Masurian Landscape Park
Masurian Landscape Park
Mazurski Park Krajobrazowy
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
	Seksty Lake from Kaczor peninsula in Masurian Landscape Park
	Masurian Landscape Park Map of Poland
Location	Masurian Lake District, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland
Nearest city	Mikołajki
Coordinates	53°43′23″N 21°36′11″E / 53.723°N 21.603°E
Area	536.55 km2 (207.16 sq mi)
Established	1977
Governing body	Wojewoda Warmińsko-Mazurski

Masurian Landscape Park (Polish: Mazurski Park Krajobrazowy) is a designated Polish Landscape Park protected area within Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is one of the largest landscape parks in Poland.

It was established in 1977, and is a Natura 2000 EU Special Protection Area.

Geography

The Landscape Park protects an area of 536.55 square kilometres (207.16 sq mi) in the Masurian Lake District.^[2]

The Park lies within Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in:

Mrągowo County — Gmina Mikołajki, Gmina Mrągowo, and Gmina Piecki
Pisz County — Gmina Pisz, Gmina Orzysz, and Gmina Ruciane-Nida
Szczytno County — Gmina Świętajno

Features

The Park contains the biggest Polish lake called Śniardwy, with an area of 114.16 km², together with lakes of Kaczerajno and Seksty. Other bigger lakes include Bełdany (9.41 km²), Mokre (8.15 km²), Łuknajno (6.92 km²), Mikołajskie (4.98 km²), Warnołty (4.65 km²) and Zdrużno (2.52 km²). There are also over 20 smaller dystrophic lakes in the Krutynia river basin.

Within the Landscape Park are 11 nature reserves, including that of Łuknajno Lake, a Ramsar site also designated by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve due to its unique bird habitat.^[2]