In large forest complexes, meadows group mainly in river valleys. Surrounded by forested areas, they remained unchanged as long as their utilization pattern was steady. However, drastic changes have occurred in recent years. Lower profitability of meadow utilization has meant that meadows have ceased to be mown. An unmown meadow changes rapidly, a succession proces begins which leads to the meadow being overgrown with forest, and consequently to disappearance of meadows located in forested areas. The universality of the threat to meadow vegetation occurring all over Poland is a challenge to nature protection institutions, including national parks. The author presents this problem using the Drawieński National Park as an example; he also discusses measures aimed at counteracting this phenomenon.