The Milicz Ponds are a group of about 100 fish ponds in Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is currently divided. It lies in southwestern Poland...

, south-western Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

, in the valley of the river Barycz

Barycz

The Barycz is a river in Greater Poland and Lower Silesian Voivodeships in western Poland. It is a right tributary of the Oder River. The river course roughly marked the northern border of the historic region of Lower Silesia with Greater Poland....

, close to the towns of Milicz

Milicz

Milicz is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Milicz County, and of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Milicz...

 and Żmigród

Zmigród

Żmigród is a town in Trzebnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Żmigród. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...

. The ponds cover a total area of about 77 square kilometres (29.7 sq mi).

Due to their importance as a habitat and breeding ground for water birds, the ponds are a nature reserve

Nature reserve

A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...

 (established 1963, area 53 km²), which is protected under the Ramsar convention

Ramsar Convention

The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...

 (one of 13 such sites in Poland). Since 1996 it has also formed part of the larger protected area

Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...

 known as the Barycz Valley Landscape Park

Barycz Valley Landscape Park

Barycz Valley Landscape Park is a protected area in south-western Poland. Established in 1996, it covers an area of ....

.