New reserve Torfowisko Jezierzba

As part of the program “100 reserves for the 100th anniversary of State Forests” in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, a new reserve Torfowisko Jezierzba is being designed. Covering an area of nearly 37 hectares, it is located within the Woziwoda Forestry and is distinguished by unique natural values of supra-regional significance, including rare species of peat bogs, mosses, and vascular plants.

New reserve in the Tuchola Forests

Torfowisko Jezierzba is one of the twelve proposals submitted so far by the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Bydgoszcz for social consultations within the initiative “100 reserves for the 100th anniversary of State Forests”. It is worth reminding that the RDOŚ across the country have prepared projects to establish new environmental protection areas and invited citizens to submit their own comments and suggestions. In most regions, consultations take place in several rounds as more proposals are prepared.

The idea of creating the Torfowisko Jezierzba reserve is not new, however. A Polish-Norwegian research project carried out in 2021, Protection of Valuable Ecosystems of the Tuchola Forests, showed that the peat bog in the Tucholskie district has enormous natural potential and is a habitat for many endangered species and plant communities. As part of the project funded by the Environment, Energy and Climate Change Program, an inventory of natural resources and mapping of peat-forming vegetation were prepared, which served as the basis for formulating recommendations for the establishment of the new reserve.

The planned Torfowisko Jezierzba reserve has an area of 39.97 ha and a buffer zone extending over a further 67 ha. It is located within the boundaries of the Tuchola Landscape Park and the Natura 2000 area Tuchola Forests PLB220009, encompassing forests belonging to the Biała and Wilcze Doły Forest Districts.

Torfowisko Jezierzba – unique vegetation

The area designated for protection is a remnant of a former lake-peat bog complex, which was formed between post-glacial dunes. Unfortunately, intensive drainage conducted by the local population from the 19th century led to the desiccation of Lake Kloce. However, the marshes and so-called Baltic high bogs have remained in very good condition. The whole is surrounded by forests and boggy pine forests as well as meadows in the forest.

Torfowisko Jezierzba is highly diversified in cross-section—from juvenile peat bogs on the edges, through quagmires and bistort meadows, to the heart of the reserve, a peat bog with several species of peat bogs, including the very rare papillose sphagnum (Sphagnum papillosum), feathered sphagnum (Sphagnum subnitens), brown sphagnum (Sphagnum fuscum), and toothed sphagnum (Sphagnum denticulatum).

Another interesting group of rare and protected species includes bruntante mosses comprising, among others, pyriform campylopus (Campylopus pyriformis), slender haircap (Polytrichum strictum), boggy aulacomnium (Aulacomnium palustre), and tree-like climacium (Climacium dendroides). Also noteworthy are liverworts like floating odontoschisma (Odontoschisma fluitans) and Fuscocephaloziopsis macrostachya. Finally, the area of the planned Torfowisko Jezierzba reserve also boasts fascinating vascular plant species, including the carnivorous round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), the rare in Poland swamp sedge (Carex limosa), and the bog violet (Viola epipsila), a unique relic of the ice age.

The establishment of the Torfowisko Jezierzba reserve aims to protect individual valuable species, but also four natural habitats of the Natura 2000 network. The initiative also fits into the concept of preserving and restoring wetland areas, which are a key element in combating climate change.