10.2478/sggw-2018-0020 Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW Land Reclamation No 50 (3), 2018: 251–262 (Ann. Warsaw Univ. of Life Sci. – SGGW, Land Reclam. 50 (3), 2018) Landscape valuation for planning ecotourism trails – case study BEATA FORNAL-PIENIAK1, ANDRZEJ DŁUGOŃSKI2 1 Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Landscape Architecture, Warsaw University of Life Sci- ences – SGGW, Poland 2 Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, Poland Abstract: Landscape valuation for planning eco- cording to the International Ecotourism tourism trails – case study. Ecotourism is a type Society, ecotourism is responsible travel of tourism strictly connected with natural and cul- to natural areas that preserves and pro- tural landscape values. This kind of idea of “green travel” is perfect option for people who want to tects the environment and improves the relax and sightseeing rural municipalities. It is re- living conditions of local residents (Mc- ally important to design eco-tourism trails, which Combes et al. 2015). The beginnings of are very usefulness for tourists in this area. The ecotourism date back to the 1970s (Jones paper is presented natural and cultural values of and Spadafora 2017). Until recently, this Piaseczno municipality. It was done landscape valorization, which are included natural and cul- form of travel was not known to a wider tural elements of this area. The purpose was to public. It is a starting point to find that distinguished the areas with the high natural and environmentally-friendly travel can cultural landscape values for eco-tourism trail de- contribute to its protection. This thesis sign. It was used bonitation points to assessment is also confirmed by the statements in- in scale from 1 point to 5 points. The results were presented on maps, including areas with high, cluded in the Declaration on Ecotour- medium, low and very low landscape values. It ism 2002 including, among others, the was distinguished areas with minimum 50% of increase in interest in travel in natural the maximum number of points were considered areas, ecotourism is actively contribut- attractive for design eco-tourism trails. ing to the protection of natural resources and the integrity of local communities, Key words: ecotoursism trails, landscape valoriza- as well as to raising awareness all trave- tion, Piaseczno municipality lers on the preservation of natural and cultural heritage, ecotourism can have INTRODUCTION a positive economic dimension for the local population, its culture and future Ecotourism as a form of eco-friendly generations, and can be the main source travel. “Green tourism” is also popular of income for protected areas (Fancy in Poland. It directly contributes to the 2002). Ecotourism is one of the fastest protection of the natural and cultural en- developing tourist markets in the world vironment of these regions, and its par- and is growing at a rate of 20–34% per ticipants are people with high ecologi- annum (Jones and Spadafora 2017). cal awareness and sensitivity (Aldous This kind of idea of “green travel” and 2013, Gibson 2014, Zaręba 2015). Ac- untouched nature is possible only due to 252 B. Fornal-Pieniak, A. Długoński the appropriate planning and controlling MATERIAL AND METHODS of the ecotourism product (Hawkes and Williams 1993, Zainoren et al. 2016). Characteristic of Piaseczno This management should include: con- municipality trol of tourist traffic in time and space, Piaseczno municipality is located in the determination of zones serving different central part of the Mazowieckie Voivode- types of tourist penetration, tourism de- ship, nearby Warsaw. The surface of mu- velopment adapted to the needs of the nicipality is 12,823 ha. Piaseczno munic- protected area. Because of unplanned ipality is one of the most forested areas and uncontrolled tourism largely de- in the Warsaw agglomeration. stroys the environment, an eco-route scheme is proposed to protect the natu- Methods ral and cultural environment. The route directs the tourist traffic to the most Landscape valorization is a usefulness natural and culturally sensitive areas of method for analysis of landscape values the municipality and at the same time (Żarska 2001, Kil and Kowalczyk 2011, protects the area against devastation Łukowiak et al. 2017). There are many while fulfilling ecotourism principles. landscape valorization methods as: Ja- From the above indications for planning necki’s straight lines method (Janecki eco-trails for landscape protection, it is 1981), Wojciechowski method (1986), clear that the activities of municipalities Gacka-Grześkiewicz et al. method for ecotourism development and related (1994), Żarska method (2001), Wolski environmental protection should not be method (1992). It is necessary to collect- limited only to the delineation of trails ed many information about natural and and management of their infrastructures cultural elements before the landscape (McCoy et al. 1995). A huge role in the evaluation (Litwin et al. 2009). Land- success of ecotourism and at the same scapes are very diversified, so sometimes time protecting the landscape plays the is needed to do modification of two, or development of the infrastructure of three valorization methods. After that it “green tourism” including eco-trails. is possible to achieved good results with That is why many municipal actions valuable information about values of must focus on supporting in a variety studded area (Litwin et al. 2009). Most of of ways – financial, promotional – local valorization methods are based on boni- communities (IUCN-WCPA 2000, Es- tation point consisting in assigning point hoo et al. 2018, Lee and Jan 2018). values to individual elements. However, The authors of the paper assumed the the most important criterions for choos- hypothesis that Piaseczno municipality ing a particular method of landscape has got high natural and cultural land- valorization is the aim of this assessment scape values as potential for eco-tourism (Bajerowski 2007, Myga-Piątek 2007, trails design. Therefore the aim of this Żarska 2011, Mazurski 2012, Ziembla work was to perform the landscape val- 2012). After analyzing many valoriza- orization of the Piaseczno municipality tion methods for tourism, a method de- for eco-tourism trail design. veloped by Kulczyk and Lewandowski Landscape valuation for planning ecotourism trails... 253 TABLE 1. Types of spatial-landscape units Unit Unit Type of spatial-landscape unit Name of special-landscape unit number number 1 build up areas 38 build up areas areas with cultivations, wasteland and 2 39 areas with cultivations railway 3 build up areas 40 areas with grasses vegetation areas with grasses vegetation and 4 41 areas with cultivations cultivations areas with grasses vegetation and 5 42 build up areas cultivations 6 build up areas 43 forest areas 7 forest areas 44 forest areas 8 forest areas 45 forest areas 9 forest areas 46 forest areas 10 forest areas 47 areas with cultivations 11 forest areas 48 forest areas 12 forest areas 49 build up areas with cultivations 13 build up areas 50 borest areas 14 forest areas 51 areas with cultivations 15 areas with grasses vegetation 52 forest areas 16 build up areas with cultivations 53 build up areas with greenery 17 forest areas 54 areas with cultivations 18 forest areas 55 build up areas 19 forest areas 56 build up areas 20 build up areas with grasses vegetation 57 areas with surface waters and plantings 21 forest areas 58 build up areas with cultivations 22 forest areas 59 build up areas 23 surface water 60 forest areas 24 areas with grasses vegetation 61 forest areas 25 build up areas 62 areas with cultivations areas with cultivations and grasses 26 63 areas with cultivations and forests vegetation areas with grasses vegetation and 27 64 build up areas with grasses vegetation surface waters 28 build up areas 65 build up areas areas with cultivations and grasses 29 areas with cultivations 66 vegetation 30 areas with cultivations 67 greenery areas 31 build up areas 68 surface waters 32 forest areas 69 build up areas with cultivations 33 build up areas 70 forest areas 34 forest areas 71 build up areas with cultivations 35 forest areas 72 build up areas with cultivations 36 forest areas 73 forest areas 37 forest areas 74 service areas 254 B. Fornal-Pieniak, A. Długoński (2006) was used in Piaseczno municipal- points. For the needs of the Piaseczno ity valorization. This method is focused municipality valorization the criteria more on the attractiveness of nature than of assessment were adjusted, giving up on other parameters such as tourist in- the element – geological structure be- frastructure. The reason is that the natu- cause the area under development does ral environment has the high impact on not have a large diversity of geological the quality of ecotourism development. forms such as rock forms. Criterias as The authors of the chosen method pro- landscape uniqueness and viewpoints posed in their work bonitation points for were also abandoned, and the following assessment of eight elements as: land criteria were introduced: vegetation with use, nature of the sculpture, geological two sub-criterias – naturalness of plant structure, landscape, fauna, forms of communities, recreational usefulness of nature protection, anthropogenic values forest communities, surface water and and the presence and quality of view- ecotourism infrastructure occurring. Ac- TABLE 2. Valorization of the Piaseczno municipality for ecotourism