Natural attractions
There are different forms of nature protection in the Wadowice Municipality. In 1999 there was formed Landscape Park of Little Beskids (Park Krajobrazowy Beskudu Małego). It includes the southern part of the municipality (2069 ha or 18 percent of its area). The object of protection of the nature park is natural landscapes and valleys of Choczenka and Ponikiewka which are covered with boron spruce, mixed forest and beech Carpathian.
Natural monuments
The only registered monument of inanimate nature is flysch rock in Ponikiew. It rises on top of a mountain called Żar (761 m) in Little Beskids. It has the shape of the tower of approx. 9 m on a basis of 40 m length.
The registered monuments of animate nature in Wadowice Municipality
Wadowice
- oak with a trunk circumference of 495 cm,
- large-leaved linden tree with a trunk circumference of 500 cm and height 24 m,
- oak with a trunk circumference of 380 cm.
Chocznia
- aple with a circumference of 270 m and height 15 m.
Gorzeń Górny
- small-leaved linden tree with a trunk circumference of 300 cm
- elm with a trunk circumference of 430 cm
- beech with a trunk circumference of 300 cm
All these objects are part of the woodlots park at Emil Zegadłowicz Manor.
Jaroszowice
- small-leaved linden tree with a trunk circumference of 405 cm and height 30 m,
- small-leaved linden tree with a trunk circumference of 330 cm
- small-leaved linden tree with a trunk circumference of 315 cm and height 27 m,
- small-leaved linden tree with a trunk circumference of 460 cm and height 19 m.
Klecza Dolna
- oak with a trunk circumference of 475 cm,
Barwałd Dolny
- white poplar a trunk circumference of 450 cm,
- white poplar a trunk circumference of 610 cm.
Ponikiew
- small-leaved linden tree with a trunk circumference of 400 cm,
- small-leaved linden tree with a trunk circumference of 364 cm and height 25 m.
Stanisław Górny
- yew with a trunk circumference of 157 cm and at the age of approx. 400 years,
- yew with a trunk circumference of 100 cm and height 5 m.
Fauna and flora
Flora of the Wadowice municipality, especially its southern part presents quite interesting. It covers mainly the spruce forests of beech and fir additions. There also grow quite often maples, hornbeam, ash and rowan. Singularities are undoubtedly Douglas firs imported in the second half of the nineteenth century from Canada.
Diversity of species of trees and shrubs also impacts on the variety of plants of undergrowth and brushwood. In meadows and moors there are plants which rarely grow in this region. There can be distinguished orchids, cotton flowers, sundews and gladiolus.
There live of animals foxes, squirrels and hares, and of birds tits, chaffinch, partridges and jays. Less common there are black woodpecker, wood grouse, kingfisher, buzzard and the black stork and of mammals Carpathian deer, roe deer and wild boar. Besides, there are almost all species of reptiles living in Poland. Among others: sand lizard, viviparous lizard, grass snake, slow worm and but rarely it is opportunity to meet viper berus – the only venomous reptile living in Poland.
Nature foot trail on the hill Goryczkowiec called Bell
Goryczkowiec is the nearest hill of Wadowice. There is a nature trail where during the walk, you can get to know the selected species of fauna and flora of the nearby area.
Along the path you can meet many types of herbaceous plants, fruiting bodies of fungi, flowers and representatives of forest animals. The foot trail is marked in white and blue color. It contains 14 stops at each of which there are special stumps with tilting information boards.
Length of the trail – 3 km
Transition time – 1,5 – 2 h
The path is addressed to children, youth and adults – all nature lovers.