A transboundary pine-beech forest straddling the Polish-German border near Szczecin
Puszcza Wkrzańska
Puszcza Wkrzańska, known in German as the Ueckermünder Heide, is a large lowland forest complex that stretches across the border between northwestern Poland and northeastern Germany. It lies within the West Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland (mainly Police County, with a fringe reaching into Szczecin) and the Vorpommern-Greifswald district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany. The forest is bounded by the Szczecin Lagoon to the north, the Oder River to the east, and a series of roads and rail lines to the south and west, giving it a clearly defined geographic footprint.
Ecologically, the area is dominated by pine and mixed pine-beech forest, interspersed with small lakes, peatlands, and rivers such as the Wkra (Uecker), Gunica, and Randow. On the Polish side, the Świdwie Nature Reserve protects Lake Świdwie and the surrounding marshes, hosting cranes, golden orioles, harriers, spotted crakes, and several goose species. The German portion is part of the Naturpark Am Stettiner Haff and includes the large Friedländer Große Wiese peatland.
Beyond its ecological value, the forest has been recognized as part of the Natura 2000 network and, since 2004, forms a major part of the "Puszcze Szczecińskie" Forest Promotional Complex. Its proximity to Szczecin, scenic qualities such as the Warszewskie Hills, and extensive network of hiking and cycling trails make it a popular weekend recreation area for the surrounding region.