economic benefits that conventional agriculture cannot, e.g. potentially mitigating greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing nutrient
cycling, since tree roots can capture nutrients
not taken up by crops (Franzluebbers et al.
2017). As Boberek (2015) points out, applicable legislation in Poland not only does not
support but even impedes, the implementation
of tree planting on farms, including shelterbelts and modern agroforestry systems. This is
contrary to the dominant trend in European
policies towards sustainable intensification of
agriculture that is stressing the importance of
climate change-resilient cropping systems for
farmers linking climate-change mitigation and
adaptation. Boberek (2015) also indicates that
agroforestry definition and agroforestry
regional policy need to be clarified in the light
of a transition of the systems present in Poland
that has taken place in recent times. If these
issues are addressed to decision-makers, a
decline in biodiversity-supporting ecosystem
services might be averted, and the design of
modern agroforestry systems in Poland promoted. In order to increase the forests’
potential to reduce GHG emissions and contribute to climate change mitigation, it is
necessary to strengthen the resilience of forests through proper care of newly established
forest plantations, the introduction of admixture and biocenotic species in afforestation,
and preventing the fragmentation of forest
complexes. In areas with re-planted pine
monocultures, the systematic reconstruction
of forests in order to improve water conditions
of soil, soil-protection and soil-forming functions should be pursued (Wiśniewski and
Kistowski 2015, 2018).
• Promotion of good practices and low carbon
technologies in the agro-food sector. The aim
should be to increase farmers’ interest in
improving the techniques of animal nutrition,
appropriate offset rations and adding preparations of nitrogen-binding compounds to the
fodders, as well as the use of manure slabs and
slurry tanks, improvement of systems to
maintain livestock and lowering of methane
emissions from stored manure and slurry,
which is the result of lowering the storage
temperature of manure through recovery and
accumulation of heat or construction of installations for the recovery of biogas from slurry
fermentation. Concerns over the negative
environmental impact from livestock farming
across Europe continue to make their mark
resulting in new legislation and large research
programs. However, despite a huge amount of
published material and many available techniques, doubts over the success of national and
European initiatives remain. Uptake of the
more cost-effective and environmentallyfriendly farming methods (such as dietary
control, building design and good manure
management) is already widespread but unlikely to be enough in itself to ensure that current
environmental targets are fully met. Evaluation
of the existing and new best available techniques (BAT) is a key to a successful abatement
of pollution from the sector and this in turn
relies heavily on good measurement strategies.
Consideration of the global effect of proposed
techniques in the context of the whole farm will
be essential for the development of a valid
strategy (Loyon et al. 2016).
4 Conclusions
1. Agriculture and rural areas (including forestry)—in contrast to current trends—should
be an important element in the local creation
of a low carbon economy and an important
area of activity in the local plans of a low
carbon economy, currently being developed.
This is due to the share of agriculture in the
total GHG emission, as well as the high
potential of these areas in terms of use their
resources to increase carbon sequestration,
reduce GHG emissions and climate change
mitigation, and also use of agricultural
activity to the development of renewable
energy, including the production of biogas
and biofuels.
2. The information obtained from the SWOT
analysis shows that this potential is based on
Rural Resources (including Forestry) in the Local Development …
159
cycling, since tree roots can capture nutrients
not taken up by crops (Franzluebbers et al.
2017). As Boberek (2015) points out, applicable legislation in Poland not only does not
support but even impedes, the implementation
of tree planting on farms, including shelterbelts and modern agroforestry systems. This is
contrary to the dominant trend in European
policies towards sustainable intensification of
agriculture that is stressing the importance of
climate change-resilient cropping systems for
farmers linking climate-change mitigation and
adaptation. Boberek (2015) also indicates that
agroforestry definition and agroforestry
regional policy need to be clarified in the light
of a transition of the systems present in Poland
that has taken place in recent times. If these
issues are addressed to decision-makers, a
decline in biodiversity-supporting ecosystem
services might be averted, and the design of
modern agroforestry systems in Poland promoted. In order to increase the forests’
potential to reduce GHG emissions and contribute to climate change mitigation, it is
necessary to strengthen the resilience of forests through proper care of newly established
forest plantations, the introduction of admixture and biocenotic species in afforestation,
and preventing the fragmentation of forest
complexes. In areas with re-planted pine
monocultures, the systematic reconstruction
of forests in order to improve water conditions
of soil, soil-protection and soil-forming functions should be pursued (Wiśniewski and
Kistowski 2015, 2018).
• Promotion of good practices and low carbon
technologies in the agro-food sector. The aim
should be to increase farmers’ interest in
improving the techniques of animal nutrition,
appropriate offset rations and adding preparations of nitrogen-binding compounds to the
fodders, as well as the use of manure slabs and
slurry tanks, improvement of systems to
maintain livestock and lowering of methane
emissions from stored manure and slurry,
which is the result of lowering the storage
temperature of manure through recovery and
accumulation of heat or construction of installations for the recovery of biogas from slurry
fermentation. Concerns over the negative
environmental impact from livestock farming
across Europe continue to make their mark
resulting in new legislation and large research
programs. However, despite a huge amount of
published material and many available techniques, doubts over the success of national and
European initiatives remain. Uptake of the
more cost-effective and environmentallyfriendly farming methods (such as dietary
control, building design and good manure
management) is already widespread but unlikely to be enough in itself to ensure that current
environmental targets are fully met. Evaluation
of the existing and new best available techniques (BAT) is a key to a successful abatement
of pollution from the sector and this in turn
relies heavily on good measurement strategies.
Consideration of the global effect of proposed
techniques in the context of the whole farm will
be essential for the development of a valid
strategy (Loyon et al. 2016).
4 Conclusions
1. Agriculture and rural areas (including forestry)—in contrast to current trends—should
be an important element in the local creation
of a low carbon economy and an important
area of activity in the local plans of a low
carbon economy, currently being developed.
This is due to the share of agriculture in the
total GHG emission, as well as the high
potential of these areas in terms of use their
resources to increase carbon sequestration,
reduce GHG emissions and climate change
mitigation, and also use of agricultural
activity to the development of renewable
energy, including the production of biogas
and biofuels.
2. The information obtained from the SWOT
analysis shows that this potential is based on
Rural Resources (including Forestry) in the Local Development …
159