The Puszcza Zielonka Landscape park was set up in 1993 and takes up 120 sq. km. The park is situated north-east of Poznań and is a popular recreational resort for the city’s inhabitants by virtue of its proximity.

The park protects the largest natural forest complex in central Wielkopolska and has a great many natural, landscape, historical, research and educational attributes. Its terrain was formed during the ice age and is highly diverse. Hilly regions and tunnel valleys with myriad lakes came into being during this period. The longest of these valleys stretches from Murowana Goślina to Pobiedziska and is rendered especially beautiful by its 14 lakes. Dziewicza Góra is the highest of the hills at 143 m asl and has an observation tower on its summit. The park’s claim to fame lies in its being 78% forested. That such a huge forest complex should exist so close to a large city like Poznań is amazing in itself. The most naturally precious section encompasses five reserves protecting rare plant species and forest communities. Here we might mention the wild service tree, martagon, daphne mezereum, sundew, and especially dentaria enneaphyllos a mountain plant whose northernmost Polish distribution ends here. The park’s fauna is likewise captivating and comprises such species as red deer, roe deer, wild boar, badgers, foxes, hares, beavers, otters, storks, cranes and birds of prey.

The many tourist facilities are an added bonus. The Forest Arboretum in the village of Zielonka is one of the teaching facilities of the University of Life Sciences. There are also walking trails and bicycle paths running through the park. The 12 historical wooden churches, which can be seen while wandering along the wooden church trail around Puszcza Zielonka (Zielonka Wilderness), are a considerable attraction.