Gugny Field Station

The Field Station is a large (total area of 452 m²) wooden house facilitating the long-term stay of researchers and students, optimally up to 20 people (maximum of 30). The house blends well with the neighborhood and the landscape. Gable boarding, an alder-shingled roof, typical porch and tripartite window design reflect the traditional folk architecture of the Podlasie area.

The main part of the house is connected with two perpendicular wings. The main part includes a large seminar/dining room with fireplace and two laboratory rooms on the first floor, and two large students' bedrooms in the loft, under the roof ridge. One wing contains bathrooms and showers. One 1-person and two 2-person bedrooms with bathrooms and showers, as well as a small kitchen adjacent to the dining room, are in the other wing of the Station. 

Meals may be prepared in the fully-furnished and well equipped small kitchen. There is a restaurant “Dwór Dobarz” 2.5 km of the Station, and catering may be ordered from there for larger groups at the Station. The nearest shops, as well as a bus-stop, are in Trzcianne, at 6.5 km distance. There are 10 bicycles at the Station. Connection to the internet is provided by optic cable and Wi-Fi. Power generation supports the work of devices and automatically starts in case of breaks in regular power supply.

Gugny village and the Station are placed on a meadow with pine forest on dunes on the east side and with a narrow strap of alder forest on the west that separates the meadow from the vast wetland of the lower basin of the Biebrza river. The river is at the distance of about 6 km from Gugny; it flows along the opposite edge of the valley. The valley is even wider downstream of the river and the width of the marsh reaches 13 km there. 

The lower basin of Biebrza has the most natural character in the whole river valley, having suffered least from previous drainage trials. A natural zonal pattern of plant communities, resulting from the differences in hydrology, has been preserved here. Areas seasonally flooded by the Biebrza are occupied by reed beds. Moving away from the river, there are large open areas of the fen mires (sedge marshes) dominated by species of tall sedges; farther from the river are sedge tussocks. Alder woods are situated at the edge of the wet river valley. The vast areas of fen mires are diversified by sand dunes, usually overgrown by trees, and locally called “grądziki”. 

The diversity of flora in the lower Biebrza basin is tremendous and includes the lady's slipper orchid, the globeflower, boreal elements as the dwarf birch, the downy willow or the Jacob’s ladder. Diversity of plant communities and habitats in Biebrza valley is reflected in species richness of the fauna. Elk (American “moose”), and ruffs lekking during their spring migration, are the symbols and the main tourist attractions of the area. A boardwalk through a fen mire in Ławki Marsh, near the Station, is the best place for watching the aquatic warbler, a small, globally threatened passerine bird. Not much is needed to enjoy the nature in Gugny; it is possible to watch elk, roe deer, foraging cranes and spotted eagles, through large windows of the seminar room in the Station while sipping the morning coffee. Black storks also visit the meadow. You may listen to the distant voice of the eagle by simply sitting in the Station’s porch, and a happy few have heard wolves’ howling.

More about the nature of Biebrza National Park and Biebrza valley may be found in:

• Hilbers, D. Crossbill Guide: Biebrza Marshes, Poland. Crossbill Guides Foundation, KNNV Publishing, 2005.
• Biebrza River Valley. Oficyna Wydawnicza FOREST, 2009.
• Kłosowski G., Kłosowski T. Prawdziwa Polska. Biebrza – sześć pór roku. The Real Poland. The Biebrza Valley – Six Seasons. MULTICO Oficyna Wydawnicza, 2007 [in Polish and English].
• Kupryjanowicz J., Konarzewski M. Nadrzecznymi ścieżkami Podlasia. Along the Riverside Paths of Podlasie. Trans Humana, Białystok, 2008 [Polish and English texts].
• Mazurek Ł. Biebrza Site Guide. Where to watch birds and large mammals of the Biebrza Marshes. Wild Poland Site Guides.
• Werpachowski C. Lista gatunków roślin naczyniowych Biebrzańskiego Parku Narodowego i Kotliny Biebrzańskiej. List of vascular plants of the Biebrza National Park and the Biebrza Valley. Biebrzański Park Narodowy, Osowiec-Twierdza, 2003 [in Polish, English and German].

Biebrza National Park – link

Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, Gugny Field Station

Use Rules

Gugny Field Station is a research and academic teaching facility. The Station is available for the faculty, staff and students of the University of Białystok and for cooperating institutions. 

All persons using the Station are required to take care of its good shape, cleanliness, and the equipment of the Station. All rules following from the location of the Station in Biebrza National Park must be complied.

Use of the Station, duration of the stay, and use of lab space must be arranged in advance with the Head of the Station. All persons staying overnight at the Station must sign in and out in the registration book.

Detailed rules:

1. Using open fire is absolutely forbidden in all parts of the Station. The fireplace in seminar/dining room and the fireplace behind the building are the only exceptions, but also there the utmost precaution is required. Smoking is not permitted in any part of the building but cigarette use is allowed outdoors. Heating coils may be used only in the kitchen. 

2. Only light and clean shoes may be worn in the Station. Field footwear must be left in the hall.

3. Preparing meals may take place only in the kitchen. The dishes must be washed after the meal and the kitchen must be carefully cleaned.

4. Moving pieces of furniture among rooms is forbidden.

5. All damage to the equipment and furnishing must be reported to the Head of the Station who will determine the cost of compensation to be paid.

6. Pets in the Station only by permission.

7. At the end of the stay, the Station must be cleaned and one must make sure that all windows are closed and outer doors are locked. The fridge in the kitchen must be emptied out of all stored food. All garbage must be bagged and removed upon departure. The key is to be passed over to the authorized person. Passing the key is also required when the Station is left for night and nobody is there.

8. All comments regarding the Station are to be reported to Bogusław Lewończuk, cell phone No. 66 46 77 976.

9. Persons not respecting the above rules will be asked to leave the Station. 

Białystok, 16 November 2015

                      
(–) Prof. dr hab. Jan R.E. Taylor
                                                                                      Head of the Station