Babczyna Dolina Nature Reserve

Babczyna Dolina Nature Reserve is a forest nature reserve with an area of 76.25 ha, located in Silesian Voivodeship, in the Pszczyna County, in the Gmina Suszec.[1]

The reserve is under so called strict (ochrona ścisła; 47.56 ha) and active (ochrona czynna; 28.69 ha) protection.[1] It was created on January 31, 2002, by the Silesian Governor's regulation.[2]

The object of protection is a natural complex of Calamagrostio villosae-Pinetum (bór wilgotny trzcinnikowy), which consists of pine with an admixture of spruce, oak, silver birch and downy birch, as well as beech and fir.[3][4] The dominant species in the undergrowth is Calamagrostis villosa, from which the nature reserve takes its name. In addition there is also peat bog and Sphagno squarrosi-Alnetum (forest complex dominated by black alder or downy birch).[5][6] There are rare species such as bryophytes, including Orthotrichum obtusifolium, Orthotrichum lelli and the liverwort Frullania dilatata, as well as other hygrophytes and hydrophytes.[5] It is also a home for many animal species, including viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara), slowworms (Anguis), grass snake (Natrix natrix), and pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae).[5]