Rezerwat Beka

Beka Nature Reserve - a faunal nature reserve on the Kashubian Coast on the Puck Bay at the mouth of the Reda River to the Baltic Sea, in the vicinity of the village of Beka, engulfed by the sea.

It was established in 1988 on the area of 193.18 ha. An ordinance of 1989 corrected its area to 193.01 ha. In 2018, the reserve's area was enlarged by internal sea waters of the Gulf of Gdansk to 355.60 ha.

The reserve is located within the borders of the Nadmorski Landscape Park, as well as two Natura 2000 areas: the Special Bird Protection Area "Zatoka Pucka" PLB 220005 and the Special Habitat Protection Area "Zatoka Pucka i Półwysep Helski" PLH 220032.

The reserve includes swampy halophilous meadows, variegated meadows and sedge meadows, as well as rushes and dune formations.

The salt meadows abound in a number of rare, protected or endangered halophytic plant species: Gerard's rush, sea milkvetch, sea arrowgrass, sea arrowroot, sea bulrush, Tabernemontana bulrush, red thistle, manna and salt aster. The freshwater meadow in the northern part of the reserve is the habitat of orchids, such as the common lily of the valley and the Loessel's lily, as well as other strictly protected species of flora: the marsh marigold and the insectivorous fat plant.

The reserve is a habitat for many rare bird species. Until recently, one of Poland's largest populations of dunlin nested here - up to 50 breeding pairs. However, as a result of cattle grazing being discontinued, extensive areas of salt meadows have been overgrown by dense reed rushes, which has led to an almost complete disappearance of the dunlin on its breeding grounds - in 1999 only 1-2 nesting pairs were found here, while nowadays individuals of this species are encountered mainly during migrations. There is also no more bat-eagle nesting in the reserve. Among other valuable species, the following have been observed breeding here: bittern, goose, ohar, merganser, marsh harrier, hen harrier, Montagu's harrier, spotted eagle owl, green sandpiper, crane, oystercatcher, little ringed plover, redshank, lapwing, common snipe, little tern, kingfisher, marsh owl and lemon pipit.

The area of the reserve is under active protection. Currently, the Polish Society for the Protection of Birds is carrying out a long-term project of protection of the reserve, which includes controlled grazing of cattle and mowing of reeds in order to restore the largest possible area of open meadows - habitats of the most valuable plants and waders.

The nearest towns are Mrzezino, Rewa and Osłonino.