Słupsk Forest

Introduction
As part of evolving my observation techniques, I went on five trips in the same region. I chose the Słupsk Forest (Puszcza Słupska) due to its accessibility by public transport and the fact that very few (or even no) previous observations had been conducted there.
I planned my routes according to available stations and bus stops, selecting locations of natural interest such as peat bogs, lakes, rivers, and springs. The path between these points led through managed forests, fields, and built-up areas.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=54.31750965140864&nelng=17.107609855192347&place_id=any&subview=map&swlat=54.14331848737689&swlng=16.810978995817347&user_id=bagli&verifiable=any

Area Description
The Słupsk Forest, apart from river valleys, is generally flat. The forest is predominantly made up of cultivated Scots pine, with mixed forests appearing near bodies of water and streams, where other tree species can be found. Most of the routes I followed ran alongside the rivers Wieprza and Pokrzywna. I also visited Lake Łętowskie, Przyjezierze Duże, and several artificial water reservoirs, such as former fish ponds, dammed lakes, and flood reservoirs.

Biodiversity
I primarily focused on observing plants and fungi, although I took advantage of any opportunity to document other species as well. When selecting species to observe, I aimed to avoid duplicating observations on the same trip, while maintaining a high number of entries. This approach helps me cover a wider range of species, which is important for larger datasets (e.g., for all of Poland). At the same time, repeating the observation of the same species on another trip theoretically indicates its frequency of occurrence.
Of course, there are human limitations – I can't remember every species I've photographed during a trip, and after a while, they start to repeat. Some species also catch my attention more than others, while some are easier to overlook. Another limitation is the nature of the forest itself – it’s hard to find something new in a forest composed of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and red-stemmed feather moss (Pleurozium schreberi), as is the case in large parts of the Słupsk Forest.
In less typical places, such as peat bogs, I aimed to capture the character of the area by photographing a larger number of species at one location, regardless of whether I had already documented them elsewhere. For example, on each bog, I showed a species of Sphagnum moss as well as Empetrum nigrum or Vaccinium oxycoccos. In these locations, I also tried to capture the general view of the area, usually by observing a tree or other large, easily identifiable plant from a distance.
The following observations were particularly interesting to me:
• Fossombronia https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/230724477
• Riccardia latifrons https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/222008999
• Cladosporium exobasidii https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/240021437
• Gloeotrichia https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/232542254
I also found several new species from the families Pucciniaceae and Erysiphaceae.

Nature Conservation
On the routes I visited, I encountered only one nature reserve – the Potoczek Peat Bog. However, there are many ecological sites, mostly near the Wieprza River, including riparian meadows https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/230808360 . The area between the village of Darnowo, the Ciecholub hydroelectric power plant, and the Wieprza River is a game sanctuary with restricted access https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/239159075 .
I find the idea of creating flood reservoirs to aid nature conservation interesting https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/233983111 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/240517682 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/240540485 . Two of these reservoirs were created in the 1990s, according to on-site information. Similarly, old fish ponds, after water levels were reduced, have turned into wet meadows with small water bodies in the middle https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/234302565 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/236485571 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/236485588 .

Human Impact
Forestry and Water Management
Most of the Słupsk Forest is a production forest dominated by Scots pine https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/240526762 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/231479352. I also encountered fenced seed plantations https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/232336302 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/237520586.
The rivers Wieprza and Studnica are used for hydroelectric power generation – I visited four dams and their associated power plants https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/234307697 . Importantly, the dams are adapted for fish migration https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/240541733 .
What sparked some controversy for me, however, were the numerous hunting stands. Their use for hunting seems to raise concerns among others as well https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/240526737 . I also observed such stands around the aforementioned wildlife sanctuary (though I secretly hope they are used solely for observation purposes).
List of introduced species spotted on my trips:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?introduced&nelat=54.31576964072854&nelng=17.11973154353299&place_id=any&swlat=54.1347327070071&swlng=16.8073078374783&user_id=bagli&verifiable=any&view=species
Tourism and Recreation
During my trips, I encountered very few tourists. The only exceptions were the shores of Lake Łętowskie and the kayak trail along the Wieprza River. The forest is crisscrossed with marked cycling, hiking, and kayaking trails. Trail markings and signage https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/239154921 , as well as infrastructure like rest areas and campsites, are of a noticeably higher quality compared to other areas I’ve visited. I suspect the local forestry school in Warcino may have influenced this.

Conclusions and Reflections
For me, this was an interesting experience, allowing me to explore a relatively large, new part of the world. I must admit that without iNaturalist, I probably would never have gone to this area. I hope that the data I collected will be useful and contribute, even slightly, to the protection of the environment.
Lastly, some statistics (I enjoy tracking such details): I spent about 50 hours in the field (plus around 40 hours traveling), walked 120 km, and took 3761 photos.
I plan to continue with similar projects in the future!
I would like to thank everyone who helped identify my observations – your assistance keeps me motivated to continue exploring!