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Kaczawskie Foothills

The Kaczawskie Foothills () are a foothill and upland region in the Western Sudetes of south-western Poland, within the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. They lie north of the Kaczawskie Mountains and are known for their varied geology and numerous remnants of ancient volcanism. The highest summit is Ostrzyca (501 m), a prominent volcanic hill near Proboszczów.

Geography

The Kaczawskie Foothills are located in the Sudetes, surrounded by the following ranges: the Wałbrzych Highlands to the southeast, the Kaczawskie Mountains to the south, and the Jizera Foothills to the west. The Kaczawskie Foothills occupy the northern foreland of the Kaczawskie Mountains. The region is generally bounded by the Bóbr valley to the west and south-west and by the Nysa Szalona to the east and south-east, while the Kaczawa is the principal river crossing its central part.

In geomorphological terms, the area has a rolling upland or hilly-land relief rather than the character of a true mountain range. Much of the terrain lies below 450 m above sea level, although individual volcanic hills rise conspicuously above the surrounding landscape.

Geology and nature

The foothills form part of the so-called Land of Extinct Volcanoes, a region noted for valuable geoheritage, including volcanic necks, basalt outcrops and other landforms related to Cenozoic volcanism. Ostrzyca, often treated as the emblem of the foothills, is protected as the Ostrzyca Proboszczowicka Nature Reserve.

The eastern part of the foothills is protected within the Chełmy Landscape Park, established in 1992. The park covers part of the Kaczawskie Foothills between the Kaczawa and Nysa Mała and was created to preserve the area's landscape, natural and cultural values. Parts of the region are also included in the Natura 2000 site Góry i Pogórze Kaczawskie (PLH020037).

References

External links