Lesko poviat is seen as tourist area. Local authorities trying to form friendly conditions for potential investors do not forget about the real advantage of this area – its nature. The Bieszczady Mountains are simply unique.

Promotional activities influence the way others see us – in Poland and abroad. That is why we are concentrated on showing tourists cultural attractions of the area.

Local inhabitants are aware of positive influence of investments and tourist traffic on the level of their lives. Promotional activities are most important. That also includes educational activities that form positive attitude towards economic activity conducted by Polish investors and foreign tourists.

Tourist economy, in a quite near future, may become an important factor stimulating economic and social development of poviat. The authorities of Lesko poviat has been trying to take advantage of its location, and that is why it puts pressure on cooperation between local authorities of neighbouring boroughs and cultural institutions and their counterparts in Slovakia and Ukraine.

General characteristics of Lesko County

Lesko poviat is located in the south-east of Poland, within the Bieszczady Mountains. It is an area of rich nature and many tourist attractions with interesting and important history and that – as always in the areas of cultural and ethnic borders – left venous heritage. These are unique architectural relics, located in different boroughs (Baligród, Cisna, Lesko, Solina). Dynamic development of general tourism, agrotourism and ecotourism give the possibility of widely understood contact with nature, and numerous cultural, recreation and sporting events make the area very attractive for tourists.

The capital of poviat is Lesko with over 7,000 inhabitants.

Lesko is an important administrative, commercial and service centre for neighbouring boroughs. It is a seat of borough council, four banks, court, public prosecutor’s office, primary school, middle school and four secondary schools.

The Bieszczady National Park was created within this area and it constitutes central part of International Reserve of Biosphere “Karpaty Wschodnie”(East Carpathia). The Bieszczady National Park protects fragments of East-Carpathian nature in the Polish part of the West Bieszczady. Formed in 1973, with the area of 20,201.62 ha – it is the third biggest national park in Poland, the biggest one among those located in the mountains.

Working within cross-border cooperation, the localization of poviat is very convenient for different kinds of inventors and new undertakings demanding contacts with Slovakia and Ukraine as we signed a cooperation agreement with poviats: Snina (Slovakia) and Wielkie Bierezne (Ukraine). A great example of an international undertaking is project Green Bike (Zielony Rower) – Lesko citizens are engaged in it. Thanks to the project there are 900 km of bike routes in the Bieszczady. Bike route based on the idea of Greenways will connect interesting tourist areas located on Polish – Slovak – Ukrainian border area taking into special consideration International Reserve of Biosphere “Karpaty Wschodnie”(East Carpathian).

Another attraction of the area are glider schools in Bezmiechowa and Weremień. Two clubs presently work with Bieszczady Aeroclub: gliding (courses and tourist flights) and hang-gliding (course, advertising flights, tourist flights and tandem flights over the Bieszczady Mountains). Horse riding holidays become more and more popular – many local hotels and B&B places have this in their offer. Winter is a good time of year for skiing – you can do this here as well. There are two ski-lifts: in Weremień and Bystre – in the winter you can have fun until late evening.

The economy of our poviat is centred on wood processing and agriculture. Potatoes and corn dominate here. Ecological products are grown here, used for food production in local food-processing works. Lesko poviat has a really well developed technical infrastructure. We have many poviat and voivodeship roads and a national road Sanok-Lesko-Krościenko. Lesko has good connections of international and national communication – trains to Ukraine, trains and buses to Kraków, Warszawa, Katowice. There is also an airport in Rzeszów – just 100 km away.

Localization

Lesko poviat is located in the south-east part of Podkarpackie voivodeship (with the capital in Rzeszów). In the south we have borders with Slovakia, in the east with Bieszczadzki poviat, and in the west and north with Sanok poviat. The whole poviat is located in the area of the Bieszczady and Sanocko-Turzańskie Mountains. The borough of Lesko with the town is located in the north part of poviat, surrounded by hills of Pogórze Leskie (the highest peak 583 m above sea level) and Słonne Mountains (668 m) Around Solińskie Lake Cisna borough is located, surrounded by Jawor mountains (741 m) and Korbań (894 m). Next to the Slovak border Cisna borough is surrounded by border mountain range of the Bieszczady (1119) and from the north by Łopiennik (1069) and Połonina Wetlińska (1253).

Geologically, the area is located within Carpathian flysch, tectonically in a unit called Central Carpathian Depression. It is filled mainly with young flysch deposits, called krośnieńskie layers. These are river fen soils, containing clays and different types of dusts, with stones, boulders and rubble of sandstone. The biggest river in poviat is the San with its tributaries. Two artificial lakes were built on it: Solińskie and Myczkowce Lakes - are reservoirs of drinking water and protect low areas against flooding. Power plants (Zespół Elektrowni Wodnych Solina-Myczkowce) were created on both lakes and they deliver electricity. There are many tourist health resorts at the lakes. There are 26,680 citizens of Lesko poviat, on the area of 834,48 km2. Boroughs of: Baligród, Cisna, Lesko, Olszanica, Solina are parts of it.

Lesko – the capital of poviat is situated on the River San, on Pogórze Leskie (340-380 m).

People here live in 65 village administrative units, with 3056 farms. Outside farming people work in local administration, schools, forestry, small woodwork enterprises and services. An important road route to Krościenko and then Ukraine leads through Lesko. In the borough of Cisna there is, created for tourists only, crossing with Slovakia. Many villages are located near famous tourist routes: Duża and Mała Obwodnica Bieszczadzka (Large and Small Bieszczady Ring Road).

Wildlife

The whole borough of Cisna and some parts of boroughs of Baligród and Solina are located within the area of Cieśniańsko-Wetliński Landscape Park. Also some parts of boroughs of Lesko and Olszanica are located within the area of Słonne Mountains Landscape Park. On the area of borough of Cisna, Bieszczady National Park is located and with neighbouring protected areas in Slovakia and Ukraine forms International Reserve of Biosphere “Karpaty Wschodnie”(East Carpathians). It protects fragments of East-Carpathian nature of Polish part of Western Bieszczady, conducts and sponsors scientific research. It also takes care of the tourism. The reserve is a main centre of concentration of rare species of plants and natural biocenose of woodland altogether with predators. These are areas behind: Tarnica, Krzemień, Halicz, Smerek, Szeroki Wierch, Połonina Caryńska and Połonina Wetlińska and also Mała and Duża Rawka.

Fauna

Fauna includes 230 species of vertebrate animals. The world of invertebrates is also rich. The forests are a great place for animals. We have here: deer, roe-deer, wild boars, wolves, martens, weasels, squirrels and rabbits and in the area of Baligród – Polish bison. Forests and meadows are also a home for many species of birds as, for example: black stork and golden eagle. On a sunny day, in the valleys you can see grass-snakes, salamanders, newts.


Raw materials

Resources of discovered raw materials are not too great. Main meaning have minerals for energy production. These include gas and petroleum. Fully worthy are also different types of stone.

The area of our poviat is rich in different kinds of highly mineralised waters. In Lesko they are rich in mineral salts, Baligród waters are also therapeutic, unique on a European scale. They also have source in Polańczyk – a local health resort – but well-known to the Polish health resort visitors.

Protected areas

on the area of our poviat there are three landscape parks. Cieśniańsko-Wetliński Landscape Park covers the area of three boroughs: Cisna, Baligród and Solina. It was created in 1992; it was separated out of a bigger unit – East Beskidy Area of Protected Landscape – with an area of 46,000 ha.

It is located between the Osława River and western border of Bieszczady National Park. It is a part of International Reserve of Biosphere “Karpaty Wschodnie”(East Carpathians). On this area leading tree is Carpathian beech, forming big forest areas. We can count up to 940 species of plants, including 170 characteristic to mountainous areas. Fauna is represented by all animals, including birds and reptiles. The most precious, well-preserved plant phytocenosis of the area, many peculiarities of animated and inanimated nature are preserved within the area of six nature reserves:
“Cisy na Górze Jawor” – area about 3,02 ha. Yew is under special protection here.
“Woronikówka” – area about 14,84 ha. Natural environment of yew.
“Sine Wiry” – the gorge of the Wetlina River altogether with adjoining old beech and fir forests.
“Gołoborze” – area of 13,24 ha. It is a natural boulder collection of istebniański sandstone over the Rabe Stream. Interesting boulder plants and peculiarities of
geological nature – rare minerals are also here.
“Olszyna łęgowa w Kalnicy” – area about 13,69 ha. It is a part of mountainous marshy forest with black alder.
“Olsza Kosa” in Stężnica – area about 13,69 ha. It is a floral reserve, with station of greenalder protected here.

Landscape park of San Valley is on the area of two boroughs: Cisna and Solina. It was created to protect the merge of one of the most beautiful Polish rivers. It includes up-stream of the San from its source to Solińskie Lake. It is situated on the area of 33,480 ha. Its main name is to protect a unique natural quality, rich in different forms of geomorphologic landscape of this part of the Bieszczady, against unwanted changes. It is a natural zone protecting Bieszczady National Park from the north and also for seven other nature reserves: Tarnawa, Limitrz, Dźwiniacz, Łokieć, Zakole, Hulskie and Krywe and also for eight that are now being planned.

Landscape Park of Słonne Mountains covers Lesko and Olszanica boroughs. It was created in March 1992. It covers the area of 38 ha. Forest areas prevail here, covering about 60% of the area, with numerous animals (133 species of vertebrates and 58 of invertebrates).

Flora is represented by around 900 species, out of them 68 are characteristic of mountains, among those five are rare of sub alpine character. The most precious fragments are under a project of reserve protection (over 1500 ha ). The area of the park is rich in view points, you can also see the high part of Bieszczady. Red tourist route has been opened for tourists and leads from Sanok towards Pogórze Przemyskie. It is helped by green route – from the “Sobień” nature reserve to the red route, just below Słonne.