Baniska Nature Reserve

The Baniska Nature Reserve is a strict forest reserve in Roztoka Ryterska, in the municipality of Rytro, in the Radziejowa Range in the Sącz Beskids. It lies within the Poprad Landscape Park.

History of protection

The reserve was established in 1922 by Adam Stadnicki, then the owner of these lands. In 1955 the Minister of Forestry gave it reserve status for the second time, then with an area of 17.69 ha. In 1983 it was enlarged to 55.52 ha, and in 2007 to 141.96 ha.

Forest and landslide

The reserve lies at 775-1,035 m above sea level, in the upper part of the Bański Stream valley, on the steep slopes of the Radziejowa ridges. It protects a primeval fragment of forest with old trees, the oldest of which are about 200 years old. Beech dominates, there is a lot of fir and sycamore maple, and spruce grows sparsely. Some firs are 30 m tall with trunks a metre across. There is also a valley landslide, rare in the Carpathians, together with rock formations and dammed pools called Banie or Młaka, from which the reserve takes its name.

The reserve lies on the slopes of Radziejowa, on whose summit stands a viewing tower.

Practical information

• No marked tourist trail runs through the reserve.
• It can be explored along the educational trail “Rogasiowy szlak”, laid out in 2005.
• At the lower edge of the reserve there is a drinking water intake for Rytro.