One of the first nature-landscape complexes established in Poland (arising from the new Nature Protection Act issued on 16 October 1991) was The Wapicnica Ecological Park. The main aims of the research were: to describe the diversity of its vegetation communities, and to define the main threats to the environment in that area. The full altitudinal range of vegetation cover, including foothills zone, lower forest zone and upper forest zone, is observed in the Wapienica valley. Each of the mountain zones contains a wide spectrum of forest associations, reflecting habitats of different moisture and fertility. In the foothills zone the sub-mountain form of Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum K I i k a 1927 cm. M a t. 1964 is present. The diversity of associations in the lower mountain zone is higher. It includes: Luzulo nemorosae-Fagetum (Du R i c t z 1923) M a r k g r. 1932 cm. M e u s c l 1937, Lunario-Aceretum S c It 10 t. 1957, Dentario glandulosae-Fagetum and Abieti-Piceetum montanum S z a f., P a w l. ct K u I c z. 1923 em J. M a t. 1978. In the upper forest zone two associations of spruce forest are present: Calamagrostio villosae-Piceetum S c h I u t c r 1969 (=Plagiothecio-Piceetum hercynicum T. T x. (1932) 1937) and Plagiothecio-Piceetum tatricum (S z a f, P a w l. et K u I c z. 1932) B r.-B l., V I i e g. et S i s s. 1939 em J. M a t. 1978). The vegetation is endangered by: a high level of pollution originating mainly from Silesia, a lack of large predators and overpopulation of deer, which eliminate fir from the forest ecosystems of the lower forest zone. There is impoverished biodiversity caused by the elimination of deadwood as a result of forest management practices. The results of the floristic, phytocoenotic and cartographic investigations show that The Wapienica Ecological Park nature-landscape complex has considerable phytosociological diversity and a high proportion of vegetation communities which are natural in character. Other valuable natural features of that area are the presence of huge trees designated as monuments of nature, and many species of vascular plants which are protected in Poland.