Location
Bieszczady refuge lies entirely within  podkarpackie voivodship. It consists of a system of parallel ridges running from south west to south east, separated by wide valleys. The refuge encompasses 65 km long and 25 km wide Polish range of Bieszczady Zachodnie (the Western Bieszczady). From the south and east it borders on Slovakia and Ukraine.

Ecosystem
The main river of Bieszczady Mountains is the San, with its sources located in Ukraine. Its largest tributaries within the refuge are the Solinka and the Oslawa. A distinct ridge of Bieszczady elevates to a height of 900 m. a.s.l. The highest points are Tarnica (1346 m. a.s.l.), Halicz (1333 m. a.s.l.), Krzemien (1335 m. a.s.l.). Top parts of the mountains are rocks with sharp ridges. The highest vegetation belt, above 1150 m. a.s.l., is so called "poloniny" - vegetable communities (endemic) characteristic for Bieszczady, which consist of hungry grassland and low shrub complexes, with tufted hairgrass and blueberries, single European mountain ashes and green alder in lower parts.

Vegetation belt below 1150 m a.s.l. consists of subAlpine forests, mainly deciduous and mixed, with Carpathian beech forest (endemic forest communities in Bieszczady) dominating in upper parts. A characteristic feature of vegetation composition of Bieszczady is lack of upper belt of pine forests. At the altitude of 500 to 700 m. a.s.l. there are valleys, which used to be agriculturally exploited. For about 50 years they have not been used and undergone natural succession - overgrowing, mainly with speckled alder. Region of Bieszczady, which used to be one of the most densely populated areas before the war, is currently underpopulated refuge of wild nature. Occurrence of total number of 17 precious habitat types mentioned in 1 Appendix of the Habitats Directive has been recorded here.

Apart from large predators mentioned above in Bieszczady there is a significant population of otter, beaver and one of the Polish populations of European bison living in the wild. These are species of mammals specified in 2 Appendix of the Habitats Directive. Other mammals mentioned there which occur in Bieszczady are bats: lesser horseshoe bat and Geoffroy's bat. Among amphibians we can find here: great crested newt, Carpathian newt (Carpathian endemic species) and yellow-bellied toad. Also Aesculapian snake is quite common here.

Fauna of water habitats of Bieszczady is represented by about 700 species and fauna of land-water habitats by about 300, 24 of which are Carpathian endemits.

Also flora of vascular plants is widely represented here by about 1100 species, many of which are rare, endangered and protected by law. Seven of them are East-Carpathian endemits. Among particularly valuable species we can find Campanula serrata (one of the two biggest populations in the country) and Carpathian tozzia.

Equally rich is avifauna of Bieszczady mountains. Presence of at least 38 species from 1 Appendix of the Birds Directive has been recorded here. Number of population of 11 of them was a reason for establishing a bird refuge in line with BirdLife International criteria. These are: black stork, European honey-buzzard, lesser spotted eagle, golden eagle, corn crake (the biggest number in Polish mountain refuges), eagle-owl, Eurasian pygmy owl, Ural owl (100-150 pairs), Boreal owl, white-backed woodpecker and three-toed woodpecker.

Other valuable species mentioned in the II Appendix, which can be observed here include: white stork, white-tailed eagle, Egyptian vulture, short-toed snake-eagle, harriers: marsh, Montagu's and hen, booted eagle, osprey, hazel grouse, western capercaillie, Eurasian dotterel, wood sandpiper, black tern, European roller, common kingfisher, woodpeckers: grey-faced, black and middle spotted, red-backed shrike, lesser grey shrike.

Bieszczady Mountains are one of the most important refuges for birds of prey, owls and woodpeckers (mostly white-backed) in Poland.

Threats
The threats to valuable habitats and species of Bieszczady include: lack of proper solutions of problems of communal waste disposal and waste damp, pouching, air pollution and improper exploitation of mineral resources.

Nature protection
Bieszczady refuge is a part of the Eastern Carpathians Biosphere Reserve, established on the territories of Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine.

• Bieszczadzki Park Narodowy (Bieszczady National Park)
• Cisniansko-Wetlinski Park Krajobrazowy (Cisna-Wetlina Landscape Park) with reserves: Cisy na Gorze Jawor (Cisy on Jawor Mountain), Olszynka Legowa w Kalnicy, Sine Wichry, Woronikowka and Zwiezlo
• Park Krajobrazowy Doliny Sanu (the San Valley Landscape Park) with reserves: Hulskie im.Stefana Myczkowskiego, Krywe, Przelom Osawy pod Duszatynem, Sniezyca Wiosenna w Dwerniczku, Tarnawa and Zakole.
• Part of the area belongs to Obszar Chronionego Krajobrazu Beskidu Niskiego (the Lower Beskid Area of Protected Landscape) and Wschodniobeskidzki Obszar Chronionego Krajobrazu (East-Beskid Area of Protected Landscape).