Monument trees in the Kampinos national Park (central Poland): A review

Abstract

The paper presents the history of the protection of trees with special values, the current state of monument trees and the preliminary description of trees meeting the minimal circumference criteria to be regarded as natural monuments in the Kampinos National Park (KNP). The study was conducted in the years 2017–2019. In the KNP, there are 69 living trees with a status of natural monuments. Most of them are oaks – 56 specimens, Scots pine – 6 specimens, small-leaved lime – 5 specimens and European hornbeam and European ash – 1 specimen each. Among all, 27 trees grow individually and the other 42 grow in 7 groups. About 200 trees were recognised as meeting the minimal circumference criteria to be regarded as natural monuments. The thickest size tree in the KNP is the black poplar with a circumference of 805 cm, growing in the enclave of Ruska Kępa, and the thickest monument tree in the KNP area is Dąb Kobędzy (Kobendza Oak) with a circumference of 582 cm. Almost a half of the living monument trees (34 specimens) are situated in Kampinos Forest District. In Kromnów, there are 20, and in Laski Forest District 15 specimens of monument trees are mapped. Living monument trees were found in 15 (out of 17) forest subdistricts. The highest number of monument trees was found in Rózin Forest Subdistrict (16) and in Wilków Forest Subdistrict (10). The lowest number – one specimen per forest subdistrict – was found in six forest subdistricts (Dąbrówka, Grabina, Janówek, Krzywa Góra, Rybitew and Zamczysko). In total, there are around 300 specimens of natural monuments and trees meeting the minimal circumference criteria to be regarded as natural monuments, which means that there is one tree of this category for each 125 ha surface of the KNP.