The Low Beskid and the Bieszczady

In the south of the Podkarpackie, there are the Beskid Niski (the Low Beskid) mountains, in close proximity of the Beskid Zachodni(the West Beskid) and the Bieszczady, all part of the Beskid Wschodni (the East Beskid). The Beskid Niski in the Podkarpackie stretches from the west border of the province, and through the Przełęcz Dukielska (the Dukiel Pass) reaches as far as the Przełęcz Łupkowska (the Łupkowska Pass). Its characteristic feature is low mountain ranges with hills up to 850 m in elevation and mid–mountain basins. The Bieszczady are a 70 km mountainous strip stretching from the Przełęcz Łupkowska (the Łupkowska Pass) and the Osława and Osławnica Valley to the Przełęcz Użocka (the Użocka Pass), and further reaching into Ukraine, where they border with the Gorgony (the Gorgons) on the Dolina Świcy (the Świca Valley) and the Przełęcz Wyszkowska (the Wyszkowska Pass) line. In the Bieszczady and the Beskid Niski, brown and podsol–bog soils dominate, also the so–called skeleton soils. In the mountains, there are smaller areas of bog, fen and black soils.
In the Beskid Niski, fir and beech woods dominate, with an addition of sycamores, ashes, birch–trees and elms. There are some agglomerations of larch and yew–trees and in the topmost parts – beech woods are common. The characteristic features of the Bieszczady are the three vegetation levels: the level of valleys, the level of regiel dolny (leafy and mixed forests below 1000–1250 m of elevation) and the level of połoninas (Alpine and sub Alpine grasses and meadows). However, there is no top level of spruce woods. Beech and fir woods dominate. The largest wood agglomerations are in the Chryszczata and Wołosań ranges, around the połoninas strip, close to the border and in the Otryt Range. The thickest and the most pristine forests of the Puszcza Karpacka (the Carpathian Wood), called the Puszcza Bukowa (the Beech Wood), is located in the River Solinka basin, mainly on Mt Wielka Rawka. On połoninas, blueberries and lingonberries grow, and there are many unique plants, most of which are protected. In the Bieszczady, there is an abundance of wolf, lynx, bear, aurochs, Carpathian red deer, wildcat, boar, hare, fox, marten, badger, otter and weasel habitats, and many others. You often see black stork, golden eagle and eagle–owl, as well as goshawk, buzzard, kestrel, and many species of owls. There are many lizards, slow worms, common lizards, sand lizards and fire salamanders, snakes and grass snakes. In the Bieszczady, there are occurrences of Aesculapian snake.

The wonders of nature of both regions are protected by two national parks: Bieszczadzki  (the Bieszczady National Park), listed on the UNESCO Cultural and Natural Heritage List,  part of the Międzynarodowy Rezerwat Biosfery „KARPATY WSCHODNIE” (“EAST CARPATHIANS” International Biosphere Reserve) and the Magurski  (the Magura National Park). In the western part of the Beskid, average annual temperature is +6ºC, average summer daily temperature is +17ºC, average winter daily temperature is –5ºC. In the Bieszczady, it is respectively +5ºC, +16ºC, and –6ºC. On average, there are around 75 cold days a year, and in higher parts of the Bieszczady, even a 100 days. Local average annual precipitation is the highest in the province, 800–1000 mm, sometimes even 1200 mm. Snow–sheet persists in the Beskid Niski up to 150 days a year, and in the Bieszczady for 200 days, reaching a thickness of up to 300 cm. Southerly winds dominate.