The Warta river valley in the Dębina area of Poznań – changes in land cover and land use in the context of natural assets and landscape qualities

Abstract

Aim of the study: Located to the south of the centre of Poznań city, Dębina is a valuable natural and landscape area, used for recreational purposes.This work’s objective is to identify natural values (assets) and landscape qualities and to establish the reasons for their transformation in the Dębina area, as well as determining the level of changes in land use and land cover, in order to capture the relationship between natural-landscape conditions and human activity. Material and methods: In the course of the work, functional analysis and identification of contemporary threats for Dębina will be performed, based on the analysis of historical materials and contemporary cartographic materials using GIS tools. Results and conclusions: Significant transformation of the environment in this area started with the construction of the water intake at the beginning of the twentieth century. Other investments related to the development of the city and the region also had a significant impact. The transformations that were unfavourable for natural environment and the landscape became the reason for taking corrective action, aimed at preserving and protecting natural components. Today, Dębina is an example of coexistence and interconnectedness between natural and cultural elements. As an area located in the Warta river valley, it is a part of an ecological corridor of national importance, and at the same time, it forms a part of the ECONET PL European ecological network. The results of the research – namely, determining the scale of the changes to land cover and land use in subsequent time periods – may become the basis for formulating guidelines for future management of this area, and for the protecting its natural values.

Keywords

• urbanization of river valley
• degradation of ecosystems
• ecological network
• landscape risks