Biebrzański Park Narodowy - w trosce o bagna

Please note that the English version of the Biebrza National Park’s website is currently under construction. We do our best, but some information may be not updated yet.

Rules of visiting and access to tourist facilities of Biebrza National Park

§1

General rules

1.  Visiting the Park area is allowed during whole year from dawn to dusk e. g. from one hour before the sunrise to one hour after sunset.
2.  Sightseeing is allowed in the area of:
   1. public roads
   2. rivers: Biebrza, Brzozówka, Ełk, Jegrznia, Netta, Sidra and Wissa,
   3. channels: Augustowski and Rudzki,
   4.  tourist trails and educational routes of BbPN.
3. Land, water and horse trails may be temporarily closed for tourists due to:
   1. bird breeding season
   2. elk and deer rutting season
   3. risk of forest fires
4. Parking in BbPN is allowed exclusively in assigned places and at the camping sites, in appropriately marked areas.
5. Setting up tents, lighting campfires, smoking and open flame usage in the Park area is allowed only in marked dedicated places.
6. Tourist at campsites are obliged to comply with rules of those campsites.
7. Visitors with dogs are allowed to enter only trails that are listed below. On that trails dogs must be kept on the short leash with a length of 1,5 m.  On other trails dogs are not allowed!

- Educatonal trail „Kładka” (near Educational Centre "Osowiec) – green marks.

- Educatonal trail „Forest” (near Educational Centre "Osowiec) – green marks

- Educational trail „Biały Grąd” (near Mścichy villige).

- Blue walking trails from Lipsk to the railway bridge in Kamienna Nowa village and from the Trzyrzeczki forest lodge to Laskowiec village.

- Yellow walking trail from Goniadz to the rail crossing (before Sośnia village).

- Yellow walking trail from Polkowo village to Kopytkowo village.

- Yellow cycling and walking trail R-11 from the Łosiowy Kąt forest lodge in Orzechówka to Tajenko village.

- Red walking  trail from Woźnawieś village to the Grzędy forest lodge.

- Yellow cycling trail from the bridge in Kuligi village to the Grzędy forest lodge.

- Red cycling trail „Podlasie White Stork Trail” (over the entire length).

- Blue cycling trail from Gugny village to Trzcianne.

- Green cycling trail from Osowiec village to Uścianek village.

§2

Land trails

1. Number of Tourists in a group visiting Park with a guide  in possession of „BdPN Guide Services Permit” may not be bigger than
   25 persons.
2. Organised groups of more than 7 visitors may enter land trails only with a guide  in possession of „BbPN Guide Services Permit”.
3. In Grzędy Protected Area mechanic (cars and buses) and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed in the part from the car barrier near Grzędy forester's lodge to Uroczysko Nowy Świat (Nowy Świat Natural Landmark) (parking by BbPN educational banner) provided that:
   1. entry of buses with visitors is allowed only with a guide in possession of „BdPN Guide Services Permit” or Park Employee.
   2. Car entry up to 5 vehicles with up to 25 passengers at the same time and allowed only with a guide in possession of „BbPN Guide Services Permit” or Park Employee.
   3. Drivers have to comply with road traffic regulations outlined in the Road Traffic Act of
      20 June 1997 (Polish Act Registry 2012 paragraph 1137 with later updates).

5.  Regulations assigned to Grzędy Conservation Zone:

1. up to 2 tourist buses and 5 passenger cars at the same time,
2. permission denied for motorbikes, motorized tricycles, quads and vehicles not listed in piont (a),  internal combustion engine vehicles
3. bike traffic beyond park barriers may take place  along red trail from Grzędy forester's lodge to car park by Nowy Świat Natural Landmark (Uroczysko Nowy Świat) and along whole blue trail, excluding the footbridge, where, due to safety issues, visitor has to walk with the bike,
4. there is a car park fee by Grzędy forester's lodge and separate fee when entering internal road to Nowy Świat Natural Landmark (Uroczysko Nowy Świat)
5. every single entry of a guide in possession of „BdPN Guide Services Permit” or Park Employee into Grzędy Conservation Zone has to be reported to the conservation zone executive (konserwator obwodu ochronnego) or tourist information desk of Grzędy Conservation Zone,
6. Biebrza National Park doesn't guarantee road maintenance and passableness.
   1. Overnight stay at campsite by Biały Grąd is available from 1 July to 31 December.
   2. Inhabitants of communities in the Park area and neighbouring communities are allowed to collect muschrooms for private needs in following Park conservation zones:
      1. Tajno, districts No 33, 34, 35, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 48,49, 54,
      2. Osowiec (Uroczysko Sośnia – Śośnia Natural Landmark),  districts No 322, 323, 316, 317, 318, 319, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307,
      3. Osowiec (Uroczysko Osowiec – Osowiec Natural Landmark),  districts No 351, 344, 336, 328, 337, 329, 338, 330, 339, 331, 340, 332, 341, 333, 342, 334, 343, 335, 348, 349,350.
   3. All marked hiking and bike trails and educational paths are available for cross-country skiing and Nordic skiing in winter.

§3

Water trails

1. Number of visitors kayaking together in a group on water trails through the Park may be up to 25 and not more.
2. Distance between kayaking groups has to be longer than 1    km.
3. On water trails supervision of a guide in possession of „BNP Guide Services Permit” is not compulsory.
4. Park Director permit is essential for kayaking on:
   a.Biebrza river: Osowiec – Brzostowo distance ,
   b. Wissa river:  Łoje Awissa  - Biebrza river distance,
   c. Kanał Rudzki (Rudzki Channel) from railway bridge in Osowiec to Biebrza river.
   From 1 January to 30 June the Park Director permit is compulsory.
    
5. Electric engine boats are allowed on Biebrza river, from 1 July to 31 October, on fishing areas (the boat has to be registered).
6. Request for above mentioned permit is in Appendix No 1 of this Document.
7. Visitors using elecrtic engine boats have to purchase a ticket of entry on water trails or a valid license for amateur fishing from boat in BbPN.
8. Above mentioned entry ticket is not compulsory for persons entitled for free access to the Park according to paragraph 12 point  7 of Nature Conservation Act e. g.:
   a. children up to 7 years of age,
   b. persons entitled by the Park Director to conduct scientific research in BbPN in the field of Environmental Sciences,
   c. students during educational activities in  BbPN, which was negotiated with the Park Director in advance,
   d. inhabitants of the Park area communities and neighbouring communities .
9. Tourist rafts are allowed on Biebrza river water trail from Lipsk to Osowiec-Twierdza and from Brzostowo to Ruś.
10. Overnight stay on tourist rafts is allowed on Biebrza river water trail, beyond marked campsites, provided that:

1. turist toilets, hermetic sewage containers and garbage bags are present on the raft
2. report on layover was made to the BbPN Tourist Information Desk, namely: layover location data, number of visitors, raft registration numbers and the owner's name. Raft owner or hirer is responsible for the layover report, which has to be made in opening hours of the Park Tourist Information Desk in Osowiec-Twierdza tel. 85 738 30 35 from 8:00 to 17:00 (5 PM). The report has to be entered into the work shift registry of the Park Tourist Information Desk.
   1. Entering Biebrza river banks from rafts is prohibited beyond marked campsites and designated places.
   2. Raft owners are obliged to empty tourist toilets, sewage containers and garbage bags according to the Community Order and Cleanness Act of 13 September 1996 o   (Polish Act Registry 2012 par. 391 with later updates).

§4

Entry Fees of Biebrza Niational Park

1. Entry fees are paid by purchasing entry tickets sold:
   1. in Park Headquarters in Osowiec-Twierdza,
   2.  in conservation zones headquarters,
   3. by persons entitled by the Park Director, listed on the Park website www.biebrza.org.pl  in „TOURISM” section.
2. Values of above mentioned fees are outlined in Appendix No 2 of this document.
3. Purchase of „BdPN Guide Services Permit” entitles to multiple Park entry.
4. Entry fees 50% lower than standard are paid by visitors listed in par. 12 Act No 8 of Nature Conservation e.g.:
   1. school and university students,
   2. retirees and pensioners,
   3. disabled visitors,
   4. active soldiers.
5. Visitors, who, according to par. 12 act. no 7 and 8 on nature conservation, pay no entrance fee or 50% of entrance fee, during their stay in the Park are obliged to have with them documents confirming eligibility for free entrance or 50% discount.

§5

Rules of order and penalties

1. Visitors of BbPN have to comply with:
   1. Polish Nature Conservation Act of 16 April 2004,
   2. Polish act of 18 August 2011 on safety on water areas (Polish Act Registry No 208, par. 1240),
   3. Regulations outlined in this document,

and directions of Park Rangers and Park Services.

1. Due to environment protection law enforcement, Park Rangers and other Park Employees are allowed to supervise visitors of Biebrza National Park, check permits, licenses, entrance tickets and sell entrance tickets.
2. Visitor not in possession of apropriate permit, licence or ticket may have to pay a fine.
3. Violation of BbPN rules is subject to penal responsibility.

§6

Final statements

1. The Park Director may entitle natural persons, institutions and organizations to provide tourist traffic services by issuing separate types of agreements.
2. Professional photography, filming and artwork beyond places designated for sightseeing, may be conducted with Park Director permission and according to regulations of Directive No 17/2013 of BdPN Director of 12 August 2013 on accessing BbPN area for commercial photography and filming purposes.
3. Access to the Park for scientific purposes is regulated by the Directive No 16/2013 of BbPN Director of 28 June 2013 on scientific work, education and monitoring in BbPN.
4. Rules of fishing in the Park are outlined in the Directive No 21/2012 of the BbPN Director of 18 December 2012 accessing BbPN for amateur fishing purposes.
5. Organizing recreational, sport and mass events in BbPN requires a separate permission from the Park Director.
6. This regulation is valid since the day of signing.

translated by Joanna Chmielewska; 2014

Amateur fishing in the waters of Biebrza National Park *

(* does not apply to the Augustów Canal)

In order to fish in the waters of Biebrza National Park, the BNP Fishing License for the given day/period is necessary. This can be obtained in the Tourist Information in Osowiec-Twierdza or other sale points. Every angler have to know and follow the rules, which regulate amateur fishing in the waters of Biebrza National Park. The most important are:

1. Fish protective dimensions:
- dace, rudd, roach up to 15 cm, perch up to 18 cm,
- ide, chub, tench, burbot, bream up to 25 cm,
- asp to 40 cm,
- pike, eel up to 50 cm.

2. Fish protection periods:
- burbot - from 1 December to the end of February,
- zander - all-year protection,
- catfish - all-year protection,
- pike, asp - from 1 January to 30 April,
- eel - from 15 June to 15 July.

3. Types of legally protected fish subjected to the prohibition: loach (weather fish), spined loach, common loach, amur.

4. Quantitative limits of fishes, that can be taken from the fishery (within 24 hours):
- asp x 1,
- pike, eel x 2,
- tench x 4,
- ide, chub x 5,
- bream x 10.

The total number of species caught and taken from the fishery cannot exceed 10 per day.

It is allowed to take from the fishery other species than those mentioned above, in quantities not exceeding 5 kg per day.

Persons staying in the Biebrza National Park are obliged to comply with the regulations of its area.
Not allowed are:
- camping and parking outside designated places,
- disturbing silence, burning vegetation, burning fires and using open fire,
- traffic of motor vehicles outside public roads,
- use of boats and other equipment with petrol engines.

It is allowed to use boats with electric motors, only in places available for fishing, from 1 July  to 31 October (the boat have to be registered).

The license entitles to take the shortest walking and stay in the fishery and and catch fishes in accordance with the regulations from dawn to dusk, i.e. from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

The angler is obliged to maintain his fishery place clean within a 10 meters radius, regardless of the condition of the fishery found before the start of fishing.

The license should be presented at every request of the Park Ranger Service, Police and Fishery Guard and persons authorized to carry out controls.

Failure to comply with all fishing rules in the Biebrza National Park exposes the angler to the withdrawal of a license without compensation or legal penalties provided for by law.

A person staying in a water area is obliged to exercise due diligence in order to protect life and health of oneself and other people.

Places within the borders of the Biebrza National Park available for amateur fishing:

River Biebrza - northern and middle part:
- from the northern boundary of the Park to the railway bridge in Osowiec, including oxbow lakes. All year from boat and shore. No entry or fishing on the oxbow lakes from 1 March to 30 June. Max. number of people who can stay at the same time on this area - 500.

Biebrza River - southern part:
- from the mouth of the river Wissa to the river Narew. All year from boat and shore. No entry or fishing on the oxbow lakes from 1 March to 30 June. Max. number of people who can stay at the same time on this area - 300.

Jegrznia River:
- only from the right bank in places from the northern borders of the Park to the bridge in Ciszewo. All year from the boat and from the right bank. No entry or fishing on the oxbow lakes from 1 March to 30 June. Max. number of people who can stay at the same time on this area - Max. number of people who can stay at the same time on this area - 25.

Rudzki Canal:
- from the railway bridge in Osowiec to the Biebrza River. All year from the shore. No entry or fishing on oxbow lakes and in Biebrza. Max. number of people who can stay at the same time on this area - 50.

Sidra River:
- from Kropiwna village to the Biebrza River. All year from boat and shore. Max. number of people who can stay at the same time on this area - 50.

Brzozowka River:
- from Karpowicze village to the Biebrza River. All year from boat and shore. No entry or fishing on the oxbow lakes from 1 March to 30 June. Max. number of people who can stay at the same time on this area – 50

The Wissa River:
- from Łoje Awissa village to the Biebrza River. All year from boat and shore. Max. number of people who can stay at the same time on this area - 50.