The park was established in 1990 in the western part of Polesie. It shelters the unique nature and landscape of the Łęczna-Włodawa Lake District featuring wetlands, meadows, peat-bogs and forested tundra-like areas.

It is the only park in Poland with large areas of poor fens (wetlands overgrown with dense low-growth mosses and sedges). Although the park covers 10,000 hectares of mostly marshland and boggy areas, its biodiversity is truly remarkable. Extremely rare plant and bird species have found a perfect refuge in the Poleski National Park. Over 1,000 species of vascular plants grow here, among them 170 very rare ones, and 8 types of carnivorous sundews (e.g. the English sundew (Drosera anglica), Siberian iris (Iris sibirica), Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila), shrub birch (Betula humilis) and a variety of orchids). The national park and the nearby Sobibór Forests are a refuge of the rare European pond turtle. With 194 documented bird species found in the park, it is a perfect place for ornithologists and bird-watchers. The crane, the largest Polish bird, is the symbol of the Poleski National Park. The most unique representative of the fauna is the endangered bird species of the Aquatic warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola). Wooden observation towers help tourists watch animals in their natural habitat. The biggest mammal in the park is the elk, whose population here is the largest in Poland.

The national park is also a place of cultural and historic heritage with many examples of well-preserved rural architecture – old cottages, wattle fences, well shadoofs and wooden churches. The Didactic Centre and Museum in Załucze Stare presents exhibitions about nature, culture and history of Western Polesie.

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