Nature

The town is situated in the Lusatia region, in the south – western part of Poland, in the valley of the Kwisa River in the Western Sudetes. This area is called the mezoregion Jizera Foothills. In terms of morphology, the city is located in the foreland of the Kwisa River, cut by river valleys, with dominant volcanic cones. Kwisa River runs from south to north designating Luban's axis. The valleys rise above the floodplain – priming and overflow area, which tower over a mountain plateau in the island thanks to the persistent resistance to weathering processes. Extract steep plateaus are situated between the terraces and hills in this area.
Luban surrounding area is characterized by a relatively diverse geological structure, both in terms of the type of structures and rocks, as well as their age. Valleys are filled with river sediments, pens and gravels. Tertiary volcanic forms play an important role in the landscape. Basalt, a volcanic rock, is extracted in open-pit mines. Luban's visitors always pay attention to the fact that it is "green". In fact, there are many city squares and parks between residential buildings, such as by the Lwóweckia, Kazimierza Wielkiego and Boczna Streets. However, the town is dominated by its greatest pride The Stone Mountain Park – built on a  former volcanic cone. Enjoy the best view of the town from natural vantage points such as Scout Mountain, New Uniegoszcz Quarry, Hill Hussites, Szubienicza Mountain or from the plateau to the south of the Stone Mountain Park.
Park at the Stone Mountain, situated in the south-western part of the city, was founded in the second half of the nineteenth century in the style of the natural landscape. Valuable advantages are its varied terrain and green areas, the communication system of many alleys and preserved relics of volcanism. Important elements of the composition are The School of Music building known as the Small Castle as well as the amphitheater. The park has many natural monuments, including inanimate nature, which is a former basalt quarry.
There are two walls of the quarry: the south-eastern and south-western with a length of about 100 m, which have exhibited excellent thermal blow columnar structure with a height of 10-15 meters at the entrance from the street side. The entrance from Dabrowski Street unveils basalt tracks, where among poorly concised volcanic ashes are spherical and oval volcanic bombs. There are two educational walking and cycling paths in this area – the so called "Trail of Extinct Volcanoes" and "Monuments of Animate Nature Trail". There are many observation posts with educational boards along these routes, which can benefit not only the students of our schools but also residents and visitors to Luban our city tourists. The Information Desk located at Bracka Street 12 provides guides to these paths.
Kwisa River, flowing through the city, is one of the most beautiful rivers in this province of Lower Silesia. It has the features of the mountain river and lowlands area. You can watch the natural products of nature - breakthroughs, thresholds, meanders, oxbow lakes in many of Kwisa's sections. Fortunately this river has a very original character that has not been changed by man that much. This river is also one of the cleaner in Poland, which makes it a haven for fish (and fishermen). There are many protected species of fish such as minnow, stone loach or brown trout, roach, dace, chub, bream, gudgeon, barbel, stickleback, bullhead and perch in its waters. Since 1996, the river has been covered by the program known as stocking of fish like grayling and brown trout. Thanks to the efforts of the Polish Angling Association, the stretch of the river flowing through the city was excluded from fishing, in order to establish their breeding sites (mainly for trout and grayling). The town is trying to cover Kwisa valley as a protected landscape area, and some of its sections as a  nature park (this proposal was already in the strategy and development plan of the Lower Silesia area).
Luban has many beautiful and valuable trees. 56 of them were protected as monuments of conservatory wildlife. The largest group can be found in the Stone Mountain Park. Some of the trees growing there have names given to commemorate the people connected to town’s history. For example, we can see Francis (sycamore maple), Herman (ash), Stach (hornbeam), Lucian (tulip), and many others. Moreover, in the center of the park next to the amphitheater, is an European beech – Sercjan – whose name has been given because of a  heart carved in his trunk. Tourists will find an impressive group of 11 common hornbeam whose common name is Fyke in the center of the park. Visitors, besides enjoying the beauty of the monuments of nature can also, spend a nice time in Luban's Old Town. This area is next to the Bracka Tower, surrounded by old oaks or silver maples or by Lompy Square, where people can admire the beautifully blooming two yellow-flower surmia. When you passing through Tkacka Street, near the garages, encouter another monument – maple.
An inventory of the city showed that despite the relatively high urbanization continuing in Luban's wildlife enclaves, this area is full of protection sites, which consist mainly of wetlands and small streams of the valley. Therefore, a plan has been created to save this ecological area – „Lower stream Łazek”, „Valley Gozdnica”, „Back water supply Gozdnica”, „Orchid Meadow”. This beautifully planned land is very valuable because of the occurrence and propagation of reptiles such as viviparous lizards or ordinary grass snakes and amphibians such as ordinary newts and mountain gray toads as well as grass, water and lake frogs. River valleys overgrown with trees provide a valuable habitat for birds. Many of them nest there permanently and are potentially endangered, such as the turtle dove, wagtail or a  decanter.
Also planned is the creation of the so-called documentation areas, which have important scientific and educational value and will be pointed out to the public. Such points are old quarries or volcanic hills such as Scout Mountain, New Uniegoszcz Quarry or very interesting basalt columns in The Ksieginki Quarry.
More on Luban nature and the surrounding areas can be found on the website of the Regional Environmental Education Center at: www.eko.luban.com.pl