Nature-didactic path
Nature-didactic path
The educational nature trail in Staniszcze Małe runs through attractive areas rich in flora and fauna, most of which are protected. The course of the path is marked in the field by symbols painted on permanent elements of the environment (trees, electric poles, field stones). In addition, signposts have been placed at forked roads. There are four educational stops along the path starting at the Staniszcze Małe railway station: Stop 1 - Wet meadows, Stop 2 - Szczyrkowiska, Stop 3 - Stoczek Spring, Stop 4 - Rural Arboretum. The content of the didactic boards was developed by Dr. Krzysztof Spałek - a biologist from the Opole University. Near the starting point of the trail, i.e. the Staniszcze Małe railway station, there is an information board 100 x 150 cm. This board includes a plan of the village of Staniszcze Małe with the nature-didactic path and a short history of the village, as well as guidelines for those using the path. For each plaque, special frames were made to allow the plaques to be installed in the field. The frames for the boards were made as part of the voluntary work of members of the Association of Village Renewal Staniszcze Małe from material obtained from the Zawadzkie Forestry Commission. Within the framework of stop no. 4 - the village arboretum - the following facilities were arranged: a herbarium, a mini botanical garden, a playground for children made with the use of elements of the natural environment (a willow tunnel, a shelter made of branches), a place of rest and education, which is a wooden shelter measuring 4,4 m x 5,6 m). four species forests (lime tree, maple tree, acacia tree, birch tree), at which species tables have been set up containing basic information about each tree species. The area of the village arboretum has been protected from wild animals with a special net fence. It was possible to create a nature and didactic path thanks to the support of: the Provincial Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Opole Kolonowskie Town and Municipality Office, Zawadzkie Forest Inspectorate, as well as a huge social commitment of the members of the Association of Village Renewal Staniszcze Małe.
Szczyrkowiska
The "Szczyrkowiska" ecological site is a picturesque complex of several mid-forest ponds created after inactive gravel pits and protecting unique water and marsh biotypes. Its area is 1.6 ha. It is surrounded by naturally interesting pine forests. There are many protected and rare plant and animal species in the use area. Numerous communities of underwater and floating plants develop in water reservoirs. One of the most interesting is the group of "water lilies" with protected white water lilies, which are less and less common in Opole Silesia. The floating pondweed complex and the spike-reed complex have also developed on large areas here. In the vicinity of the pond, inaccessible reeds, marshes and peat bogs have developed. The following can be found here: bulrush rush, horsetail rush, broad creeping rush, and the community with the dominant coneflower. The community with the dominant sedge can be found on small areas. This community usually forms floating turfs on the surface of dystrophic water bodies and begins the process of succession towards transitional and raised bogs. The peat bogs adjoining the ponds are home to bog cranberries, hornswort, coneflower, and the insectivorous round-leaved sundew. The animal world is as rich as the flora. In addition to common animals, there are protected species as well as regionally and nationally rare species. Among the invertebrate animals, the protected spider is worth mentioning. It is one of the most colourful spiders. Its abdomen has alternating yellow and black stripes. "Szczyrkowiska" is a breeding ground for numerous species of amphibians, including: the water frog, the grey toad, the great newt, the great crested newt and the mountain newt, very rare in this area. Very often you can see grass snakes feeding here. Of the many species of breeding birds found here, the most interesting include the aquatic warbler, reed warbler, reed warbler, cricket, and corncrake, a globally threatened species.
Stoczek
Stoczek is a picturesque spring flowing out at the foot of a postglacial hill, surrounded by mixed forests and naturally interesting meadows. The spring is developed and constitutes a perfect place for rest, where you can additionally drink delicious water. There are many interesting and protected plant species in the vicinity of the spring. These include the broad-leaved cuckoo orchid, the striking marsh forget-me-not, and the medicinal resin oyster mushroom. There are also rare and protected species of insects, such as the dormice and granulate beetle. In sunny places, you can meet the Queen's Paseo, one of the most beautiful and most impressively coloured butterflies in the country. The group of vertebrate animals also has its representatives. Amphibian species are quite numerous here. You can meet here common newt, grey toad, green toad and the increasingly rare tree frog. Among reptiles, there are two species of lizards in the vicinity of Stoczek: the sand lizard and the slow worm. Out of many bird species breeding here, the most frequently encountered are those connected with open areas, e.g.: meadow pipit, yellow wagtail, lark, reed bunting. Of the many mammal species found in the area, the velvet shrew is one of the most interesting.
Wet meadows
There are well-developed patches of Molinia meadows and Spurge meadows where many protected and rare plants can be found. The most interesting of these include the broad-leaved orchid, the three-leaved beaver and the meadow spurge. The flowers of the latter often bear the striking goldfinch beetle. The goldfinch larvae develop in anthills, where they feed on pieces of wood brought in by ants.
Most grassland communities, especially those sensitive to changes in moisture content, are potentially threatened in this area. Discontinuation of mowing or a change in the way they are used is the cause of many meadows becoming overgrown with patches of reed canary grass, goldenrod and common bulrush. The most common community is wet sedge meadow and sedge marsh rush. The swampy parts of the meadows are occupied by the yellow iris, accompanied by meadow and rush species. There is also a swordtail in the area. This is one of the few places where this plant can be found in the Opolskie Voivodeship.