Reserves include ecosystems, biocenoses and plant associations that are natural or are not severly deformed. The are created so as to ensure the protection of rare elements of plant cover, of the animal world and also to protect specific inanimate elements of the environment.

Thirty nature reserves had already been establised within Poland in 1918. These occupied a total of 1469 ha. By 1939 that number increased to 180. After World War II the network of reserves was reconstructed. By the end of 1965 there were already 490 reserves, which occupied over 31,000 ha. In total, 953 nature reserves have been formed in Poland during the last 45 years. The most dynamic growth took place in years 1955–1960 (278 reserves) and in years 1980–1985 (161 reserves).

Currently, the network of nature reserves consists of 1,122 reserves, which occupy over 121,303 ha. The largest share of them are forest reserves (Table – with information on nature reserves). Reserves are not uniformly distributed over the territory of the country. The largest agglomerations of them are in the Carpathian Mountains, in the southern belt of the old mountains and highlands and in the area of the Drawski, Kaszubski, Masurian, and Wielkopolski lake districts.

Nature reserves are valuable objects for scientific studies. The floral, phytosociological (pertaining the plant complexes) and faunal issues are the main concerns for scientists. Among existing nature reserves those which represent natural values significant to international nature protection, should be considered the most valuable. Thus, on the list of biosphere reserves, there is the ornithological reserve "Jezioro Luknajno". This was also included on the list of areas under the Ramsar Convention "About Water-Mud Areas, Having International Significance, Especially as a Waterfowl Habitat". On the same list there are also the following reserves (lakes): "Siedem Wysp", "Karas", " Swidwie" and "Slonsk".

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