Location
Wzgorza Bukowe is a forest complex which covers a chain of moraine hills and stretches along south-eastern districts of Szczecin, on a right, eastern bank of the Odra river - partly within administrative borders of the city (Szczecin-Prawobrzeze), as well as adjoining communes Gryfino and Stare Czarnowo. In the west these hills are separated from Wal Bezlesny by a few kilometers wide Dolina Dolnej Odry (the Low Odra Valley). Overgrown by old beech wood, called Puszcza Bukowa, which most valuable part have been turned into Szczecinski Park Krajobrazowy (the Szczecin Landscape Park).

Landscape
The hills are remains of old elevations built mostly of huge crataceous and Tertiary rocks, covered with forms of young postglacial relief. The whole area is characterized by very diverse lay of the land, the hills are cut by valleys and gorges, many landlocked depressions are filled with lakes and peat substrates.

There are also several lakes and a few hundred water holes. Most of subtypes of soil characteristic for Polish lowlands is represented on Wzgorza Bukowe. Due to diversity of native rocks we can find here almost all mechanical groups - from gravels and loose sands, through argillaceous formations and loams, to dust formations. The biggest part of the area is covered by brown and acid soils.

Climate
Area of the refuge is characterized by diversity of climate conditions and big changeability of weather. On average the warmest month is July (17.3 ºC to 17.7 ºC) and the coolest is January (from -1.6 ºC to 0.8 ºC). The longest among seasons is summer (on average about 3 months) and the shortest early spring (about 1 month). Average air temperature in vegetational period is 14.0 ºC. Vegetational period (with average temperature exceeding 5 ºC) begins on the 31th of March in the Odra valley and a few days later in upper parts of Wzgorza Bukowe. The period lasts here about 225 days. The heaviest rainfalls come in July and August, the lowest in February and March. Total amount of rainfalls recorded in Wzgorza Bukowe area is much higher in autumn than in spring. Average annual amount of rainfall is higher in upper parts of Wzgorza Bukowe (625 mm) than on adjoining areas.

Snow cover in area of Wzgorza Bukowe is characterized by very low durability and high time and space changeability.

Ecosystem
Whole range of forest communities with domination of beech occur here. Beech forests are cut by valleys with alluvial forests. On elevations occur Luzulo-Fagetum beech forests and in depressions alder swamps and birchwoods. It should be also emphasized that within the refuge occur great diversity of non-forest habitats.

Habitats which occur on area of the refuge:

• Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests
• Luzulo-Fagetum beech forests
• Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)
• sub-Atlantic and medio-European oak or oak-hornbeam forests of the Carpinion betulinatural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition-type vegetation
• European dry heaths
• old acidophilous oak woods with Quercus robur on sandy plains
• lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis)
• transition mires and quaking bogs
• boh woodland
• semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco Brometalia) (important orchid sites)
• hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and the montane to alpine levels
• alkaline fens
• inland dunes with open Corynephorus and Agrostis grasslands
• inland sandy grassland (Koelerion glaucae)
• active raised bogs
• alder swamp woods (Alnetea glutinosae)
• large sedge beds
• soft water springs (Cardamino-Montion)

Flora
Diverse lay of the land of the moraine hills chain, diverse microclimatic conditions, together with complex water and soil relations, determined development of various habitats, which enabled different plant communities to develop.

Forest growing in the area are mostly in the area are mostly Asperulo-Fagetum and Luzulo-Fagetum beech forests, in lesser extent ash-alder and ash alluvial forests, Lazulo-Fagetum oak forests and alder swamps, even lesser area is covered by marsh birchwoods, mixed forest with pine and pine woods.

Local flora consists of about 1000 species of vascular plants, 99 of which are protected - endangered in all-country or regional scale.

Here occur among others: St Bernards's lily, smooth brome, sand sedge, grassland sedge, thin-spiked wood sedge, common centaury, white helleborine, lily of the valley, early marsh orchid, heath spotted orchid, wetern marsh orchid, Carthusian pink, maiden pink, purple foxglove, common sundew, crested wood fern, broad-leaved helleborine, violet helleborine, glossy buckthorn, common snowdrop, woodruff, star gentian, common ivy, sand everlasting, common hepatica, fir clubmoss, bluntflower rush, marsh pea, common swamp, martagon lily, common twayblade, honeysuckle, clubmoss, common clubmoss, ostrich fern, bogbean, birds nest orchid, yellow water-lily, white water-lily, sleepydick, lesser butterfly orchid, common polypody, oxlip, cowslip, European black currant, Swedish whitebeam, wild service tree, European yew, prostrate speedwell, guelder rose and periwinkle.

Fauna
Diversity of ecosystems is conducive to development of rich fauna and creates perfect conditions for almost all systematic groups of animals. In addition, occurrence of 166 species of protected vertebrates, including rare and endangered taxons, have been recorded here.

In the area we can meet a few species of bats: barbastelle bat, Bechstein's bat, mouse-eared bat, noctule bat, brown long-eared bat, serotine bat, Natterer's bat, Daubenton's bat. Here live also mammals such as: otter, roe, deer, lesser white-toothed shrew, Western European hedgehog, pine marten, beech marten, badger, ermine, weasel, water shrew, Eurasian red squirell, common shrew, pygmy shrew and European polecat.

The area is also important in terms of birds protection. Here occur among others: kingfisher, lesser spotted eagle, nightjar, black tern, white stork, marsh harrier, middle spotted woodpecker, black woodpecker, ortolan bunting, red-breasted flycatcher, crane, white-tailed eagle, little bittern, red-backed shrike, wood lark, red kite, honey buzzard, common tern, barred warbler. Here we can also meet a few species of regularly migrating birds, such as: graylag goose, common goldeneye, common buzzard. Quite many are representatives of fish, amphibians and reptiles.

Protection and threats
Most of the area lies within borders of Szczecinski Park Krajobrazowy (Szczecin Landscape Park) with nature reserves: Zdroje, Bukowe Zdroje im. Tadeusza Dominika, Kolowskie Parowy im. Jozefa Lewandowskiego, Buczynowe Wawozy, Zrodliskowa Buczyna im. Jerzego Jackowskiego, Trawiasta Buczyna im. prof. Stefana Kownasa, ecological land Zgnily Grzyb, natural-landscape complexes: Jezierzyce and Park Lesny in Struga, with 52 monuments of nature created in 1955-2001 (8 groups of trees, 29 single trees, 10 erratic boulders and 5 petrifying springs). Majority of the area is located within Lesny Kompleks Promocyjny (Promotional Forest Complex) "Lasy Buszczy Bukowej i Goleniowskiej".

The area is under threat from: groundwaters level fall, drainage, pressure to build over non-forest areas, air pollution connected with close neighbourhood of the city and growing traffic.