In May 2003, through a resolution issued by the City Council, the Nowohuckie meadows were declared a site of ecological importance, the first such one situated entirely within the limits of the city of Krakow. The need to cover the site with this kind of legal protection resulted from the unique features of its plants, animal wildlife, and landscape.

The Nowohuckie meadows display a level of biological diversity unrivalled by any other site within the city's limits. In the area covering 57 hectares there are more than ten plant communities, including wet meadows, fresh meadows, reed and sedge fens, as well as ruderal communities. There are 34 species of nesting birds and the overall number of bird species, including those migrating through the area or coming there to forage, is around 60. Corn crake, red-backed shrike and little bittern (the latter nesting nearby) are the most important bird species, protected under international conventions. These species are endangered throughout Europe, and moreover, little bittern is the species included in the Polish Red Book of Animals. Butterflies are another noteworthy group in which particularly important is attached to the species similarly regarded as endangered throughout Europe, and subject to legal protection in Poland, such as: English large copper, violet copper, scarce large blue and dusky large blue.

phot. January Weiner [+]

The marginal ice valley of the Vistula where the Łąki Nowohuckie (meadows) are situated is one of the most important ecological corridors in Europe, allowing long-range migrations of many birds. Because of its size, this area of ecological importance provides protection for large associations of bird species, whose occurrence on any smaller area would be impossible. One of the species exemplifying this fact is the marsh harrier - bird-of-prey nesting at the site.

Environmental (ecological) education in the area of Łąki Nowohuckie (meadows)

Pracownia Animacji Ekologicznej (one of the organizations helping to launch environmental awareness projects), operating at the C.K. Norwid Community Cultural Centre, developed a programme of educational activities focused on the valuable features of the nature and landscape of Łąki Nowohuckie (meadows), as well as on the purpose and practical means for their protection. The educational effort addresses not only the pupils - through the series of lectures on the flora and fauna in the meadows, ecological knowledge competitions, and field workshops devoted to identifying species of plants and animals occurring in the area - but also to the local residents, tourists and institutions with offices near the meadows - through organizing regular community events. Apart from providing the basic knowledge to enhance interaction with wild nature, the aim of all these activities is to draw attention to valuable elements of natural and semi-natural habitats in an urban habitat.