New national parks in Poland – after the Lower Oder Valley, social expectations are rising

A public opinion survey conducted in October by the Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute (IOŚ-PIB) shows that the Lower Oder Valley National Park is not a controversial idea dreamed up by environmentalists. As many as 70% of Poles support its creation, and 72% believe that the number of national parks in the country should increase.

The closer to the park, the greater the support

On September 30 this year, the Polish Parliament (Sejm) passed a bill establishing the Lower Oder Valley National Park, which was then submitted to the Senate. According to the schedule, the park will be officially established on November 11, 2025 – Poland’s National Independence Day. One month before this symbolic date, the Ministry of Climate and Environment decided to find out what Poles think about granting the Międzyodrze area a special form of nature protection.

The survey conducted by IOŚ-PIB on behalf of the ministry was carried out through telephone interviews and online group discussions – nearly 1,700 people participated in total. Nationwide, 13% of respondents opposed the establishment of the park, while 18% had no opinion. The vast majority of Poles support the idea.

Support is even stronger in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, where as many as 86% of respondents favored the creation of the Lower Oder Valley National Park. Particularly high enthusiasm was recorded among residents of the areas included within the planned park boundaries – support reached 84% in Gryfino County, 92% in Police County, and as much as 94% among the residents of Szczecin.

Poles understand the benefits

As many as 90% of residents in Police and Gryfino counties believe that the creation of the Lower Oder Valley National Park will increase the region’s tourist appeal or bring economic benefits. The economic potential of the initiative is also appreciated by 81% of respondents from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Nationwide, only 14% of citizens deny the benefits of establishing the park.

Commenting on the survey results on her social media profile, Minister of Climate and Environment Paulina Henning-Kloska emphasized that the public has not been misled by the disinformation surrounding the park’s creation. She also noted that Poles want to combine tourism and economic development with care for nature and national heritage.

Will the 24th national park not be the last?

The IOŚ-PIB survey also examined broader public views on environmental protection in Poland. The authors point out that national parks cover only 1% of the country’s territory – three times less than the European average. When asked whether more national parks should be created in Poland, 72% of respondents said yes, while 11% opposed the idea. Moreover, 89% of Poles believe that the nation’s natural environment and heritage should be actively protected by the state – in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, this view is shared by as many as 97% of respondents.

The Lower Oder Valley National Park will be Poland’s 24th, but the first to be created in more than 20 years. Will such strong public support accelerate work on the next ones? In 2023, the Dziedzictwo Przyrodnicze (Natural Heritage) Foundation published a Proposal for Expanding the Network of Polish National Parks, which, in addition to the Międzyodrze area, listed more than 20 other candidates – including the Turnicki, Jurassic, and Masurian parks, as well as the lesser-known Borecka and Romincka Forests. Whether other regions will follow in the footsteps of the Lower Oder Valley depends on political will – but above all, on local community engagement.