Land abandonment and restoration in the Polish Carpathians after accession to the European Union. Issue 132 (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ortyl, Bernadetta; Kasprzyk, Idalia
• Is Part Of: Environmental science & policy. Issue 132(2022)
• Page Start: 160
• Page End: 170
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Land abandonment -- Land use change -- The Carpathians -- Common agricultural policy -- Less-favored areas; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Sciences de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Environmental policy; Environmental sciences; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.70561
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2022.02.026
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-9011

Abstract

Abstract: Abandonment of cultivation particularly applies to mountainous areas, characterized as less-favorable areas. In addition to natural conditions, changes in land use are also influenced by socioeconomic factors and systemic transformations. One factor that affected the agriculture of post-socialist countries in Europe was their accession to the European Union. A study of changes in land use that occurred during this period can thus offer interesting insights related to the contemporary landscaping process. To this end, this research analyzes Dukla, a small commune located in the Polish Carpathians for which land-use maps were made based on aerial imagery. These maps recorded the landscape just before Poland's accession to the European Union in 2003, and its current status as recorded in 2018. Abandoned land area was found to have decreased by 17% in the studied region over that time, with a simultaneous 12% decline in agricultural land area. In contrast, forest and settlement area had increased. In this commune, a clear division was seen between the foothills area, with distinct increase in the area of abandoned land; and the mountainous region, characterized by a decrease in abandoned land. It seems that in mountainous areas, the lack of potential for a non-agricultural livelihood induced farmers to restore abandoned fields. The analysis conducted also showed a reduced impact of environmental factors on abandoned land area. In 2003, this parameter was affected by topography, distance from forest, and soil quality; while in 2018, this only correlated to topography. Graphical Abstract: ga1 Highlights: The changes in land use after Poland's accession to the European Union were studied. Opposite trends in land use in the foothills and in the mountains were found. In the mountains, farmers started to use abandoned fields again. In the foothills, the area of abandoned and forest land increased. Environmental conditions played smaller role in land use transformations.