36
R. Cie´ sli´ nski
national park. Despite these differences, it is necessary to pursue sustainable development whose overall goal is to protect the natural environment including its water
areas in a way that allows both social and economic targets to be achieved.
Keywords Poland · Protection · Development · Water resources · National park ·
Development · Sustainable
3.1 Introduction
Currently the most important problem in the relationship between man and the natural
environment, in addition to the actual state of the environment, is the formulation of a
method of resolving social and economic problems without generating conflict while
maintaining both living and non-living environments in the best state possible, and
this includes the hydrosphere [1]. The state of the natural environment is first and foremost the result of human impact. With proper environmental management practices,
man can produce a harmonious landscape. In the opposite case, a damaged natural
landscape is the outcome. Hence, the pursuit of an ecologically-inspired spatial order
based on sustainable “proportions” of natural, cultural, and technological elements
appears to be both a reasonable and attainable goal [2]. In order to protect and shape
the geographic environment, and this includes water environments, it is necessary to
maintain as many as possible areas characterized by harmonious evolution and high
landscape value [3].
This is especially true of environmentally valuable areas viewed as equivalent to
areas protected by law [4] such as nature reserves and national park. When planning
and designing environmental protection efforts, it is necessary to identify the relevant
water balance relationships in the target area. Water plays a leading role, as it strongly
affects other living and non-living elements of the natural environment and remains
dependent on some of them [2]. Water is a constituent of virtually all ecosystems
and is responsible for the production, transport, exchange, and processing of organic
matter into inorganic matter. It also impacts all sectors of the national economy
including industry, agriculture, and forest management. In addition, water is a key
component of tourism and recreation as well as science and education. This high level
of water usage leads to changes in water balance relationships and water circulation
patterns in many geographic areas. Water circulation may become altered by changes
in land use, building construction, and water use in various technological processes
that utilize clean water and yield polluted water [5]. This prompts the following
question: Is it possible to both develop and protect water resources in the context of
sustainable growth in geographic areas protected by law? The study area, in this case,
consists of national parks—areas which provide the highest level of legal protection
to the natural environment in Poland. The current study focuses on lakes found in
national parks, as these are the least stable and most susceptible sites in terms of
environmental change in the geographic domain.
R. Cie´ sli´ nski
national park. Despite these differences, it is necessary to pursue sustainable development whose overall goal is to protect the natural environment including its water
areas in a way that allows both social and economic targets to be achieved.
Keywords Poland · Protection · Development · Water resources · National park ·
Development · Sustainable
3.1 Introduction
Currently the most important problem in the relationship between man and the natural
environment, in addition to the actual state of the environment, is the formulation of a
method of resolving social and economic problems without generating conflict while
maintaining both living and non-living environments in the best state possible, and
this includes the hydrosphere [1]. The state of the natural environment is first and foremost the result of human impact. With proper environmental management practices,
man can produce a harmonious landscape. In the opposite case, a damaged natural
landscape is the outcome. Hence, the pursuit of an ecologically-inspired spatial order
based on sustainable “proportions” of natural, cultural, and technological elements
appears to be both a reasonable and attainable goal [2]. In order to protect and shape
the geographic environment, and this includes water environments, it is necessary to
maintain as many as possible areas characterized by harmonious evolution and high
landscape value [3].
This is especially true of environmentally valuable areas viewed as equivalent to
areas protected by law [4] such as nature reserves and national park. When planning
and designing environmental protection efforts, it is necessary to identify the relevant
water balance relationships in the target area. Water plays a leading role, as it strongly
affects other living and non-living elements of the natural environment and remains
dependent on some of them [2]. Water is a constituent of virtually all ecosystems
and is responsible for the production, transport, exchange, and processing of organic
matter into inorganic matter. It also impacts all sectors of the national economy
including industry, agriculture, and forest management. In addition, water is a key
component of tourism and recreation as well as science and education. This high level
of water usage leads to changes in water balance relationships and water circulation
patterns in many geographic areas. Water circulation may become altered by changes
in land use, building construction, and water use in various technological processes
that utilize clean water and yield polluted water [5]. This prompts the following
question: Is it possible to both develop and protect water resources in the context of
sustainable growth in geographic areas protected by law? The study area, in this case,
consists of national parks—areas which provide the highest level of legal protection
to the natural environment in Poland. The current study focuses on lakes found in
national parks, as these are the least stable and most susceptible sites in terms of
environmental change in the geographic domain.