The Landscape Park covers part of the Che?m Ridge, a fault ledge which constitutes the western section of the Silesian Highlands. It stretches from the north-west to the south-east for about 20 km and is 5 km in width on average. The majority of the Landscape Park is classified as a habitat protection area under Natura 2000 with the symbol PLH 160002. It covers the area of 5,051 ha. In order to limit harmful impact from the industrial centres and agglomerations bordering on the park, a protection belt of 6,374 ha has been established all around it. The A-4 motorway divides the park into two parts – the southern and the northern one. The Che?m Ridge stands out in the vast flat Silesian Lowlands both in terms of its height and its diverse landform. It falls steeply towards the Oder Valley, but where it becomes the Opolska Plain, the transformation is smooth. The ridge is made up of many elevations which are often nameless. The north-westernmost of these is Ligocka Góra Kamienna (326 m) to the east of which there are Biesiec (350 m), Wysocki Las (385 m), St. Anna Mountain (400 m), Stoki (308 m) and Bukowy Bór (308 m). In the main, the Ridge is made up of Triassic formations – limestone and dolostone. Its present land line was shaped by the Scandinavian glacier which had advanced upon the area twice. As a result, it has left behind glacial marls, tills, sands, and rock sections of various sizes (erratic boulders). The Baltic glacier, on the other hand, played part in the formation of loessal soil and dunes. St. Anna Mountain was the easternmost volcano in Silesia. Because of its considerable height, the Ridge has developed a climate different to that of the rest of the Opolskie province. There are lower mean and maximal annual temperatures, lower mean temperature of the warmest month, as well as increased rainfall. Specific soil conditions and the separate nature of the climate decided the kinds of flora that have predominated on the Ridge. Once common forests cover only 21% of the present total area of the park. They are not homogenous and much intersected by strips of arable land. As regards phytosociology, however, they have retained their diversity and are still interesting. One can find coniferous, beech and mixed tree stands. The dominating species are beech (28%) and spruce (25%). The most valuable forest areas are protected as nature reserves. In 1997 the following reserves were created - Lesisko, Bo?e Oko, and Grafik. The list was expanded by the Biesiec reserve in 2001.