Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

B. Bożętka 2010. Recent relations between forestry and agriculture in Poland
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areas trying to fill the spaces between ‘steps’ and in consequence forming a much bigger,
elongated patch. Their boundaries have a mixed character, can be very sharp or gradual.
Regional distribution of changes demonstrates interesting landscape differences. A
coarse- grain pattern is specific to the northern, north-western and western parts of the country.
The rural area there tends to be distinctly divided into a small number of large, concentrated
patches of agricultural as well as forest landscapes- both of them featured by predominance of
compositional simplicity. The relations between open and enclosed here should be stable in the
near future, presumably. Central, eastern and southern parts are affected by appearance of new
enclosed structures: 1. forest and ‘succession’ patches, 2. modern, very effective orchards. They
systematically change landscape configuration, to some degree introducing more diversity, but
at the same time instigating potentially negative tendency, which can lead to a variable-grain or
even a coarse-grain mosaic. Regarding a characteristic fragmented spatial and ownership
structure, processes of landscape change in these regions may be much more complex and much
more difficult to anticipate.
Hence, two important interconnected tendencies of landscape change should be
highlighted: spreading out of coarse- grained mosaics represented by large fields and forests,
and shrinking of a traditional fine- grained landscape pattern.
5. Conclusions and discussion: landscape diversity
Redistribution of open and enclosed structures deeply affects landscape heterogeneity in
Poland. Firstly, new landscape types develop (for instance an agricultural enclosed landscape
connected with compact orchards). Secondly, considerable alterations of a landscape mosaic
appear. Open fields spread out and continuously simplify. Forest and semi-wild landscapes
spread as well, but owing to an ecological movement in forestry, they can be more diverse than
before. However, influence of new patches formed by forests or other vegetation overgrowing
abandoned land on the landscape is difficult to assess. New elements can enrich central, eastern
and southern provinces, but simultaneously, they can constitute a threat for continuity of a finegrained
agricultural pattern, being able to disturb the landscape structure and character.
Operation of many processes at the same time may cause an increase in heterogeneity, but on
the other hand, it may result in decline in landscape values. Too much diversity can cause chaos
(Bell 2004) and regrettably, this is a common feature of the Polish landscape.
Nevertheless, contrasts between diversity and homogeneity become stronger than they
used to- vast areas of agricultural or forest monoculture generate the opposition to the traditional
landscape formed by numerous tiny units. Therefore, fragmentation of the traditional landscape
accompanied by consolidation of open fields and forest landscapes should be emphasized.
Additionally, replacement of natural by geometric shapes in landscapes occurs (Solon 2003).
Demonstrated processes vary regionally, historical differences between The Reclaimed Land
(the western and northern territories) and the rest of the country are reflected in landscape
evolution and in a landscape mosaic.
Some of the changes are observed globally. Palang et al. (2006), analysing landscapes of
Eastern and Central Europe noticed the passage from small-scale variability to large-scale
monotony. Many authors (e.g. Richling, Solon 1996) recognized a change of rural areas that
consists in two general directions of land transformation: increase in diversity, linked for
instance with ecological farming and increase in homogeneity within a landscape in highly
developed agro-ecosystems.
The last two decades brought with them significant changes of landscape structure in
Poland. The threats of advanced simplification and transition of a landscape mosaic belong to
the most considerable consequences. Sadly, the changes can lead to a great loss in the traditional
landscape.
References
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.