of the ability to absorb CO 2 and reduction of GHG
emissions from agricultural and forest lands and
soils. On the basis of the results, proposals on the
principles of operation of a low carbon economy
and the main directions of low carbon development based on local resources of rural areas (including forestry) in Poland are made.
3 Results and Discussion
3.1 Rural Resources in the Local
Development of Low
Carbon Economy—
SWOT analysis
A. Strengths
The strengths of rural areas and their resources in
terms of the development of a low carbon
economy in Poland are as follow:
• Large area of agricultural land and the ability
to use their potential for the development of
energy crops. A particular high share of arable
land (over 75% of total agricultural land) can
be observed in Voivodships (according to
Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics—NUTS level 2): Kuyavian-Pomeranian,
Lodz, Opole, Pomeranian, Greater Poland and
West Pomeranian. Subcarpathian, Podlachia
and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeships are, in
addition to a high share of arable land, characterized by a relatively high share (over
29%) of permanent grassland (meadows and
pastures) (Table 1).
• Large area of forests, especially in Masovian,
Warmian-Masurian, Greater Poland and West
Pomeranian Voivodships (Table 1). The
afforestation rate in Poland is at an average of
29.5% and varies from 21.4% in Lodz
Voivodship to 38.2% in Subcarpathian
Voivodship and 49.3% in Lubusz Voivodship
(The State Forests Information Centre 2017).
In approx. 20% of communes nation-wide,
(mainly in Lubusz, Subcarpathian, Pomeranian, West Pomeranian, Warmian-Masurian
and Podlachia Voivodships) afforestation
reaches 40% (Polna 2005). Mixed and deciduous forests, which absorb more CO 2 than the
coniferous ones, are of the greatest importance.
• The functioning of agricultural schools and the
Agricultural Advisory Centres. There are currently approx. 200 agricultural schools in
Poland, including 45 run and supervised by the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The farm advisory system is formed by
the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów,
along with 3 branches and 16 provincial Agricultural Advisory Centers, as well as institutions
and non-state actors. Educational and consulting activities of these units should contribute to
the implementation of appropriate agricultural
practices that help to reduce emissions from
agriculture and soils by farmers, including,
among others: mulching, conservative plowing
or no-till farming, keeping the soil covered with
vegetation or leaving the plant residue on it, as
well as the adjustment of the supply of nitrogen
to the needs of the plants and the adaptation of
production systems to maximize the use of
animal manure in crop production.
B. Weaknesses
Considering weakness, first and foremost, the
following should be mentioned:
• A large share of the poor and the poorest
arable soils—temporarily or permanently dry,
with low productivity due to poor organic
matter—that limits the ability to absorb CO 2 .
Nation-wide, the share of poor and the poorest
soils (V and VI quality class) amounts to 34%.
A particularly high percentage (over 45%) of
the poor and the poorest arable soils occur in
Lodz, Masovian, and Podlachia Voivodships
(Table 2). The quality of Polish soil is among
the lowest in Europe, and the potential production of 1 ha of soil in Poland corresponds
to the potential of approx. 0.6 hectares of
arable land of all EU countries (Skłodowski
and Bielska 2009).
• A large share of acid soils, low retention
capacity, and low humus content, which tends
Rural Resources (including Forestry) in the Local Development …
151
emissions from agricultural and forest lands and
soils. On the basis of the results, proposals on the
principles of operation of a low carbon economy
and the main directions of low carbon development based on local resources of rural areas (including forestry) in Poland are made.
3 Results and Discussion
3.1 Rural Resources in the Local
Development of Low
Carbon Economy—
SWOT analysis
A. Strengths
The strengths of rural areas and their resources in
terms of the development of a low carbon
economy in Poland are as follow:
• Large area of agricultural land and the ability
to use their potential for the development of
energy crops. A particular high share of arable
land (over 75% of total agricultural land) can
be observed in Voivodships (according to
Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics—NUTS level 2): Kuyavian-Pomeranian,
Lodz, Opole, Pomeranian, Greater Poland and
West Pomeranian. Subcarpathian, Podlachia
and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeships are, in
addition to a high share of arable land, characterized by a relatively high share (over
29%) of permanent grassland (meadows and
pastures) (Table 1).
• Large area of forests, especially in Masovian,
Warmian-Masurian, Greater Poland and West
Pomeranian Voivodships (Table 1). The
afforestation rate in Poland is at an average of
29.5% and varies from 21.4% in Lodz
Voivodship to 38.2% in Subcarpathian
Voivodship and 49.3% in Lubusz Voivodship
(The State Forests Information Centre 2017).
In approx. 20% of communes nation-wide,
(mainly in Lubusz, Subcarpathian, Pomeranian, West Pomeranian, Warmian-Masurian
and Podlachia Voivodships) afforestation
reaches 40% (Polna 2005). Mixed and deciduous forests, which absorb more CO 2 than the
coniferous ones, are of the greatest importance.
• The functioning of agricultural schools and the
Agricultural Advisory Centres. There are currently approx. 200 agricultural schools in
Poland, including 45 run and supervised by the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The farm advisory system is formed by
the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów,
along with 3 branches and 16 provincial Agricultural Advisory Centers, as well as institutions
and non-state actors. Educational and consulting activities of these units should contribute to
the implementation of appropriate agricultural
practices that help to reduce emissions from
agriculture and soils by farmers, including,
among others: mulching, conservative plowing
or no-till farming, keeping the soil covered with
vegetation or leaving the plant residue on it, as
well as the adjustment of the supply of nitrogen
to the needs of the plants and the adaptation of
production systems to maximize the use of
animal manure in crop production.
B. Weaknesses
Considering weakness, first and foremost, the
following should be mentioned:
• A large share of the poor and the poorest
arable soils—temporarily or permanently dry,
with low productivity due to poor organic
matter—that limits the ability to absorb CO 2 .
Nation-wide, the share of poor and the poorest
soils (V and VI quality class) amounts to 34%.
A particularly high percentage (over 45%) of
the poor and the poorest arable soils occur in
Lodz, Masovian, and Podlachia Voivodships
(Table 2). The quality of Polish soil is among
the lowest in Europe, and the potential production of 1 ha of soil in Poland corresponds
to the potential of approx. 0.6 hectares of
arable land of all EU countries (Skłodowski
and Bielska 2009).
• A large share of acid soils, low retention
capacity, and low humus content, which tends
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151