Polesian National Park

Polesian National Park
Poleski Park Narodowy
IUCN category II (national park)
Dominik Trail at Polesie National Park Park logo
Location in Poland Bog near Moszne Lake
Location	Lublin Voivodeship, Poland
Nearest city	Urszulin
Coordinates	51°16′N 23°05′E / 51.27°N 23.09°E / 51.27; 23.09
Area	97.62 km²
Established	1990 (1990)
Governing body	Ministry of the Environment
Website	www2.poleskipn.pl
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Poleski National Park
Designated	29 October 2002
Reference no.	1565[1]

Polesian National Park (Polish: Poleski Park Narodowy) is a National Park in Lublin Voivodeship, eastern Poland, in the Polish part of the historical region of Polesia. Created in 1990 over an area of 48.13 square kilometres, it covers a number of former peat-bog preserves: Durne Marsh (Durne Bagno), Moszne Lake (Jezioro Moszne), Długie Lake (Jezioro Długie), Orłowskie Peatland (Torfowisko Orłowskie). In 1994 its size was augmented by the addition of Bubnów Marsh (Bagno Bubnów), a swampy terrain adjacent to the park. Currently, the park occupies 97.62 km² (37.69 sq mi), of which forests make up 47.8 km², and water and wastelands 20.9 km².

The idea of creating a national park in the Polish part of Polesie first appeared in 1959. Over the following years a few preserves were organized here, and in 1982 the government announced the creation of Poleski Park Krajobrazowy (Polesie Landscape Park). Currently, even though Polesie's infrastructure is quite well developed, it is rarely visited by tourists.

The national park and neighbouring areas form the West Polesie biosphere reserve, designated by UNESCO in 2002. The Shatsky National Natural Park is adjacent on the Ukrainian side of the border. The Park is also protected under the Ramsar convention as an important wetland site.