The present analysis sums up the current knowledge on areas worth protection within the confines of net Natura 2000, recognised by local administration organisations in cooperation with scientists in the Odra valley, its geological borders and vicinity (up to about 5 km off the border of floodplain areas), along the stretch from the town Odry (The Czech Republic) to the mouth of the Odra to Zalew Szczeciński (Poland, Germany). The present knowledge we have at our disposal, concerning particular areas is strongly diversified.
The Natura 2000 refuges on the German side were diagnosed in detail during 1995-2000, while the criteria of their marking, detailed descriptions and synthesis of the data are dense in numerous publications (Ssymank 1994., Ssymank et al. 1998, Zimmermann, Ryslavy 1998, Zimmermann et al. 2000).
The Czech part of the valley is also well-explored, due to a high investigative activity of the workers of ChKO Poodri" (e.g. Neuschlova 1993, Pavelka et al. 1992, 1995) and other research groups (e.g. Chytil et al. 1999, Vlaín et al. 2000).
In the case of Poland, a preliminary list of refuges in Poland (however, in relation to CORINE biotopes) is presented by Dyduch-Falniowska et al. (1999), whereas the first tests of making the data from the Odra valley more detailed for"Natura 2000" were undertaken by non-government organisations - The World Fund for Nature, along with Lubuski Club of Naturalists (Chojnacki, Torkler 2000) and Lowersilesian Foundation of Eco-development (Świerkosz et al. 2000). As it was shown in an initial listing of accessible data, some refuges or their fragments (e.g. currently existing sanctuaries) possess maps of the existing plants or lists of vascular flora , others - closely recognised ornitofauna. We do not have full data concerning certain refuges, while some taxonomical groups, important from Natura 2000 point of view (majority of invertebrates, lower plants) are totally unknown. Thus, the suggested list of refuges in countries candidating for the EU will require additional research in Poland. The research will make it possible to draw up their applications for the net of protected areas of European rank properly.
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