The Via Natura Walk Cieszyn’s natural beauty

The urban environment – particularly town centres – is generally thought of as an ecological wasteland, a place where naturalists or nature-lovers would find nothing of interest. But anyone who decides to take the Via Natura Walk around the lesser known corners and back ways of Cieszyn will soon discover that this isn’t true at all, and that even in the centre of a town you can come across real curiosities of nature, among factories, offices, flats and houses. Large numbers of ‘wild’ animal and plant species inhabit towns in what could be called oases or islands; for example in urban parks and gardens, areas of woodland or small groups of trees. They also inhabit waste ground which has remained undeveloped for various reasons; even relatively small areas. Urban parks, green spaces and gardens – even the walls of buildings – are places where we may come across plenty of interesting and rare (often non-native) plant species. Buildings and their basements, cellars and attics are places inhabited by an increasing number of animal species whose natural habitats would be, for example, tree hollows, burrows or rock crevices. Many of these animal and plant species can be seen on a walk around Cieszyn, but the greatest attraction of walking the Via Natura is the town’s nature reserves, two of which are located almost in the centre of the town, a proverbial stone’s throw from the Rynek (Market Square).

The route of the Via Natura was chosen in order to show a visitor the places where plants and animals in the Cieszyn Hills (Pogórze Cieszyńskie)can be admired. These include naturally occurring species, but also those which were unwittingly introduced to the area by people and have since made it their permanent habitat, and plants, chiefly trees and bushes, which were planted in parks, green spaces and gardens and have now become characteristic elements of the landscape in many of the town’s beauty spots. The Via Natura is a straightforward route which can be walked by anyone, without any great difficulty and without any special preparation. It’s for anyone who likes strolling along pavements and footpaths, or through woods and parks. In addition to the main route there are also two short routes along slightly out-of-the-way pathways and tracks where walkers are advised to equip themselves with tougher footwear. The wildlife described on the Via Nature are the plant species which can most easily be seen almost the whole year round – which of course means trees and bushes. A smaller number of animal species are discussed, apart from the most commonly occurring.

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Written by Aleksander Dorda
Editing and choice of photographs by Renata Karpińska and Aleksander Dorda
Photographs by Aleksander Dorda, Jakub Dorda, Stanisław Kawecki, Renata Karpińska and Magda Jańczuk
English translation by Irena and David French
Extracts from the following publications were used in the text:

• A. Dorda, S. Kawecki, K. Szczudło-Suchy Parki i drzewa Cieszyna Cieszyn, 2002
• A. Dorda, A. Kuśka Ścieżka przyrodnicza na Kopcach w Cieszynie, Cieszyn 1997
• A. Dorda, A. Kuśka Ścieżka przyrodnicza w Laskach Miejskich w Cieszynie, Cieszyn 1998
• H. Wawreczka, J. Spyra, M. Makowski Cieszyn, Czeski Cieszyn na starych widokówkach i fotografiach, WART, Nebory 1999