Dzūkija National Park

Dzukija national park is one of the biggest in Lithuania protected area  (55.9 thou. ha) –  the land of dry pine woods, continental dunes, crystal clear deep-valleyed rivers with picturesque erosive geomorphological complexes, marshlands. Nature has presented it with an abundance of streams, scenic valley of the Nemunas and  small lakes. Wonderfuls are the valleys of Merkys, Ūla, Grūda, Skroblius rivers, the surroundings of Musteikos and Pavilnio rivulets. However, the biggest impression is left by unique ethnocultural villages – architectural monuments. The park has 10 architectural,  more than  40 art monuments. The region s known for black ceramics, wood carving masters, traditional weaving, knitting. 
Peculiar to Dzukija dry forests occupy even 91%  of the park‘s territory, where 21 hollow pine is announced an object of natural heritage. Valuable are the relicts of old bee-keeping – hollow pine trees, where vertical elongated cavities were carved for bees. Here are found many rare species of plants and animals. The park has a system of cognitive pathways. 
The widely known Čepkeliai moorland  – is a natural reserve (are 11.2 thou. ha). This place was inhabited already in the stone age, while the age of the moorland dates back to more than 10 thou. years. Owing to diverse surroundings, many rare and common species find a suitable place here. 
Dzukija national park and   Čepkeliai reserve are especially important to the students of Recreation speciality, which undergo here their specialization practice,  as well as complex practices in botany, environmental and soil sciences,  forestry –hydroecology, landscape formation.