Interesting places

The reserve "Olszyny Niezgoda", which covers 74.28 hectares, was established in 1987 to preserve a natural area of marshy alders in the reach of the Luga River.

It is located to the south of the village of Niezgoda. It is bordered to the west by an asphalt forest road leading from Niezgoda to Ruda Żmigrodzka, and to the east by the regulated and embanked Ługa River (Stara Barycz). To the east of it, alder forests also extend over an area of approx. 150 ha. These are fragments of approx. 100-year-old alder stands, interspersed with leeks, forest crops and young trees. Near the asphalt road there are also several magnificent pedunculate oaks, the thickest of which is 675 cm in circumference and is a natural monument. Several of them have characteristic numerous hollows. These are created by the protected Cossirolus longicornis, whose larvae live in the trunks of the oaks for the first three years of their lives.

In total, the vascular plant flora of the reserve comprises 276 species (including 26 tree species, 23 shrub species and 227 herbaceous plant species). Of the protected species, the following should be mentioned: common ivy, coral calla, common buckthorn, black currant, lily of the valley, brazil fungus and artificially introduced Swedish rowan. In addition to plants, the alder forests are also a refuge for mammals, amphibians and reptiles. More recently, beavers have become increasingly numerous in the area, with traces of their activity easily visible from the Niezgoda - Ruda Żmigrodzka asphalt road. The deteriorating water balance, dry summers and poor human water management are a huge threat to wetland habitats such as alders. Perhaps beavers, as a result of their water engineering, will be able to prevent the degradation of this extremely valuable and unique ecosystem, which was once very common in the Barycz Valley.

The reserve can be conveniently accessed by bicycle both from the village of Niezgoda and Ruda Żmigrodzka.

source: barycz.pl