The Bieszczady National Park (established in 1973) covers 290,2 km² of the easternmost part of the Carpathian range in Poland. The elevation area ranges between 650 and 1346 m above sea level. Most of the slopes are covered by deciduous forest. Above 1150m a.s.l. there are upper meadows which used to be exploited for grazing before 1945. Also the areas on lower zones of stream valleys are covered by meadows. Before World War II the Bieszczady Mts. were relatively densely populated. After the war almost all the native people from the Bieszczady were displaced. Since that time the nature started succession on the formerly cultivated fields and pastures. It led to gradual naturalization of the plant cover. The present settlement within the Bieszczady National Park borders is limited to three small localities.