3 Development and Protection of Water …
43
established in Poland was Suwalski Landscape Park (1976). The youngest park is
Nadgopla´ nski Millennium Park (2009). Barycz Valley Landscape Park is the largest,
while Stawki Landscape Park is the smallest landscape park in the country.
Protection plans established for each form of environmental protection consist of
four stages. Each plan serves as the basis for the functioning of each protected area.
The first step is to catalogue the resources of each target area making it possible to
assess the state of the natural environment. The second step consists of the identification of threats and potential threats that may occur in the future. Given that protected
areas are not closed areas, the third step involves the formulation of a social and
economic assessment and the issuance of an opinion of the state of spatial management in the target area. The last step of the plan formulation process consists of an
analysis of the effectiveness of currently used environmental protection methods.
Plans for the three types of protected areas discussed herein are created for periods
of 20 years. This time perspective takes into account the fact that natural processes
occur on a different timetable than economic processes.
Environmental protection laws in Poland identify Protected Landscape Areas
as those featuring unique landscapes with different types of ecosystems, which are
valuable due to their ability to meet the tourism and recreational needs of society
or and ability to serve as ecological corridors. The law provides a list of potential
restrictions that may be imposed upon protected landscape areas—similarly as with
landscape parks. The functioning of “protected landscape areas” is significant first
and foremost from a spatial planning perspective, whereby economic activity is not
restricted unless it is deemed to be highly burdensome. Poland is home to a total of
409 protected landscape areas covering 22.7% of the territory of Poland.
Dig sites, ecological sites, and environmental-landscape complexes are forms
of natural environment protection formulated by commune councils. The law
provides for a common for all three forms of protection list of restrictions, which
can be used as guidance by lawmakers reviewing appropriate protections for target
areas.
Dig sites include scientifically or educationally important places of occurrence
of some geological formations, plant fossils, animal fossils, collections of fossils or
mineral formations, caves, surface mines, and underground mines. This is the only
form of environmental protection that does not cover surface areas. Poland is home
to 165 dig sites with an area of 905 hectares.
Ecological sites are established across remainders of ecosystems strongly relevant
to the preservation of biodiversity and may include natural bodies of water, ponds,
wetlands, peat bogs, ancient river channels, and environmental habitats. Poland is
home to 7,029 ecological sites with a total area of 51,843 hectares.
Environmental-landscape complexes include parts of natural and cultural landscapes that merit protection due to their aesthetic or vantage point value. Poland is
home to 184 such complexes with a total area of 95,869 hectares.
Water management in protected areas requires first and foremost a certain water
level determined by predefined environmental goals as well as the determination of
priorities related to water usage in a given area. In addition, predetermined environmental goals need to be based on limits on water usage. It is important to put limits
43
established in Poland was Suwalski Landscape Park (1976). The youngest park is
Nadgopla´ nski Millennium Park (2009). Barycz Valley Landscape Park is the largest,
while Stawki Landscape Park is the smallest landscape park in the country.
Protection plans established for each form of environmental protection consist of
four stages. Each plan serves as the basis for the functioning of each protected area.
The first step is to catalogue the resources of each target area making it possible to
assess the state of the natural environment. The second step consists of the identification of threats and potential threats that may occur in the future. Given that protected
areas are not closed areas, the third step involves the formulation of a social and
economic assessment and the issuance of an opinion of the state of spatial management in the target area. The last step of the plan formulation process consists of an
analysis of the effectiveness of currently used environmental protection methods.
Plans for the three types of protected areas discussed herein are created for periods
of 20 years. This time perspective takes into account the fact that natural processes
occur on a different timetable than economic processes.
Environmental protection laws in Poland identify Protected Landscape Areas
as those featuring unique landscapes with different types of ecosystems, which are
valuable due to their ability to meet the tourism and recreational needs of society
or and ability to serve as ecological corridors. The law provides a list of potential
restrictions that may be imposed upon protected landscape areas—similarly as with
landscape parks. The functioning of “protected landscape areas” is significant first
and foremost from a spatial planning perspective, whereby economic activity is not
restricted unless it is deemed to be highly burdensome. Poland is home to a total of
409 protected landscape areas covering 22.7% of the territory of Poland.
Dig sites, ecological sites, and environmental-landscape complexes are forms
of natural environment protection formulated by commune councils. The law
provides for a common for all three forms of protection list of restrictions, which
can be used as guidance by lawmakers reviewing appropriate protections for target
areas.
Dig sites include scientifically or educationally important places of occurrence
of some geological formations, plant fossils, animal fossils, collections of fossils or
mineral formations, caves, surface mines, and underground mines. This is the only
form of environmental protection that does not cover surface areas. Poland is home
to 165 dig sites with an area of 905 hectares.
Ecological sites are established across remainders of ecosystems strongly relevant
to the preservation of biodiversity and may include natural bodies of water, ponds,
wetlands, peat bogs, ancient river channels, and environmental habitats. Poland is
home to 7,029 ecological sites with a total area of 51,843 hectares.
Environmental-landscape complexes include parts of natural and cultural landscapes that merit protection due to their aesthetic or vantage point value. Poland is
home to 184 such complexes with a total area of 95,869 hectares.
Water management in protected areas requires first and foremost a certain water
level determined by predefined environmental goals as well as the determination of
priorities related to water usage in a given area. In addition, predetermined environmental goals need to be based on limits on water usage. It is important to put limits