Geotourism 1–2 (48–49) 2017 DOI: 10.7494/geotour.2017.48-49.2 Evaluation of the geotourism potential of selected geological sites in the eastern part of the borderland between the Siedlce Upland and Łuków Plain Ocena potencjału geoturystycznego wybranych stanowisk pogranicza wschodniej części Wysoczyzny Siedleckiej i Równiny Łukowskiej Anna Orłowska* Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Department of Geoecology and Palaeogeography; al. Kraśnicka 2c, d, 20-718 Lublin, Poland; [email protected] * Corresponding Author Article history: Received: 23 January 2017 Accepted: 9 October 2017 Available online: 20 June 2018 © 2017 Authors. This is an open access publication, which can be used, distributed and reproduced in any medium according to the Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 License requiring that the original work has been properly cited. Abstract: Evaluating the geotourism potential of geological objects is now one of the main directions of geotourism development in Po- land. So far, these have been usually carried out for famous and interesting objects, which are situated in physical-geographical regions of great morphological-geological values and are places of high intensity tourism. However, recently more and more attempts have been made to evaluate geotourism potential of geological objects situated in the areas considered unattractive to tourists. This paper reports the results of such an attempt, which has been made in the eastern part of the borderland between two physical-geographical regions of low-intensity tourism, i.e. the Siedlce Upland and Łuków Plain. To evaluate the tourism potential of geological objects, the method of geosite evaluation has been used. The results allowed the author to distinguish the objects of high and unique scientific val- ues, which may be proposed as geosites and a geotourist trail in the study area. Key words: geotourism potential, evaluation of geosites, geotourist trail, Łuków Plain, Siedlce Upland Treść: Ocena potencjału geoturystycznego obiektów geologicznych stanowi obecnie jeden z głównych kierunków rozwoju geoturystyki w Polsce. Dotychczas wykonywano ją najczęściej w przypadku znanych i ciekawych obiektów, znajdujących się w regionach fizyczno- geograficznych o wysokich walorach morfologiczno-geologicznych, stanowiących miejsca charakteryzujące się intensywnym natęże- niem ruchu turystycznego. Ostatnio jednak coraz częściej podejmowane są próby oceny potencjału geoturystycznego obiektów geo- logicznych, znajdujących się na obszarach uznawanych za mało atrakcyjne turystycznie. Taką próbę podjęto na obszarze pogranicza wschodniej części regionów fizycznogeograficznych Wysoczyzny Siedleckiej i Równiny Łukowskiej – regionów cechujących się mało intensywnym natężeniem ruchu turystycznego. Do oceny potencjału geoturystycznego wykorzystano metodę waloryzacji geostanowisk. Wyniki waloryzacji pozwoliły na wyróżnienie obiektów o wysokiej, naukowej wyjątkowości, stanowiącej podstawę do utworzenia geo- stanowisk oraz szlaku geoturystycznego na analizowanym obszarze. Słowa kluczowe: potencjał geoturystyczny, waloryzacja geostanowisk, geoturystyka, Równina Łukowska, Wysoczyzna Siedlecka https://journals.agh.edu.pl/geotour eISSN 2353-3641 | ISSN 1731-0830 17 Anna Orłowska Introduction The purpose of this study was to identify the geologi- cal resources in the eastern part of the borderland between Evaluating the geotourism potential of geological ob- two physical-geographical sub-regions (Siedlce Upland and jects in selected areas is now one of the main directions Łuków Plain), and to indicate how they can be used in geo- of geotourism development in Poland. So far, it has been tourism. This objective demanded the evaluation of select- carried out in the physical-geographical regions of great ed geological sites representing different glacial landforms. geological values, where interesting objects, being places of high intensity tourism, are situated. That is why the nu- merous published studies present the geotourism potential Study area of mountain regions, which are recognised by tourists, e.g. the Sudetes (among others Knapik et al., 2009; Knapik & The evaluation of the geotourism potential of geological Migoń, 2010; Cedro et al., 2009; Mianowicz & Brzozow- objects was made in the eastern part of the borderland be- ska, 2009; Różycka, 2014) or Carpathians (Kłapyta, 2015). tween two physical-geographical mesoregions: Siedlce Up- The geotourism potential of geological objects occur- land and Łuków Plain (Fig. 1). According to the physical- ring in the physical-geographical regions of low intensity geographical regionalization of Poland published by Kond- tourism, e.g. in the areas with lowland, flat relief and seem- racki (2009), they belong to the South Podlasie Lowland re- ingly little interesting topographic features, has rarely been gion. It is mainly characterized by lowland (115–196 m a.s.l. – evaluated. Such features are typical mainly of the regions Fig. 1), monotonous relief left by the last ice sheet of the situated in Central Poland. They belong to the so-called Middle Polish Glaciations, i.e. the younger Saalian ice sheet, old glacial area, which was formed by ice sheets of the about 210 000–130 000 years ago (vide Mojski, 2005). How- Middle Polish Glaciations (from about 200 000 to 130 000 ever, the glacial origin of this area is of special nature. The years ago) (sensu Lindner & Marks, 2012). Łuków Plain boundary between the mentioned regions coincides approx- and Siedlce Upland are such regions situated in eastern Po- imately with the maximum extent of the younger Saalian ice land. So far, their geotourism potential has not been evalu- front, which is marked by ridges and hills of end moraines ated for geotourism purposes. arranged in trains and reaching 190–200 m a.s.l. (Fig. 1). Fig. 1. Location of the selected geosites against the Digital Terrain Model of the eastern part of the borderland between the Siedlce Upland and Łuków Plain. The author’s own study based on the Topographic Map of Poland, 1 : 25000. The maximum extent of the younger Saalian ice sheet line according to Godlewska 2014a and Mojski 1972); names of lobes according to Mojski (1972) and Terpiłowski (2000) Geotourism 1‒2 (48‒49) 2017 https://journals.agh.edu.pl/geotour 18 Evaluation of the geotourism potential of selected geological sites... The Siedlce Upland represents the inner zone of the ice & Terpiłowski, 2009a, b; Terpiłowski et al., 2009; God- front. Hills and ridges (mostly kames) occurring in this area lewska & Terpiłowski, 2012; Godlewska, 2012, 2014a, b, reach 170–190 m a.s.l. The foreland of the ice front is a flat, 2015). Other materials concerning the study area were also sandy, outwash plain descending towards the SE from 170 useful in the evaluation. These were mainly scientific pa- to 140 m a.s.l., and belongs to the Łuków Plain. The de- pers (among others Terpiłowski, 2000; Al brycht, 2004a), scribed, the marginal zone of the younger Saalian ice sheet is as well as geological and geomorphological maps (Brze- characterized by sublatitudinal orientation and lobate shape. zina, 2000; Dyjor & Brzezina, 2000; Albrycht, 2004b). The evaluation of the selected geological objects, occurring Based on all these materials, 16 sites were selected (ex- within the extents of the Liwiec, Toczna and Klukówka ice posures, quarries, opencast mines). All selected geological lobes, was performed (Fig. 1). It was based on detailed mor- objects are glacial landforms, which have been identified phological-geological investigations of surface deposits and described with the use of lithofacies analysis (cf. God- building glacial landforms (Godlewska, 2014a). lewska, 2014a). The second stage of the work was the evaluation of the selected geological sites for geotourism purposes (accord- Methods ing to Knapik et al., 2009 and Knapik & Migoń, 2010). The following features of geosites were evaluated: scientif- The evaluation of the geotourism potential of the se- ic value, educational value, state of the object and dangers, lected sites was carried out using the method developed by and accessibility (Tab. 1). The evaluation was qualitative; Knapik et al. (2009) and Knapik & Migoń (2010). each feature was evaluated in a scale 1–5. The results are During the initial stage of the work, the geological sites presented in Table 2. were selected and inventoried. For this purpose the author’s In the final stage of the work the most interesting ge- original materials were analysed, i.e. the monograph (God- osites, with the outstanding morphological and geological lewska, 2014a), as well as the scientific papers and con- features, were selected in order to propose a geotourist trail ference abstracts (Godlewska, 2007, 2008a, b; Godlewska (Orłowska, in preparation). Tab. 1. Elements of geosite evaluation according to Knapik et al. (2009) and Knapik & Migoń (2010) Subject Point Description of evaluation value The only site in the region; unique in a mega-regional scale; presented in international scientific journals 5 Very important objects for regional studies; presented in national and international scientific journals 4 Scientific Object important for regional studies; presented in national and international scientific journals 3 value Typical site of mediocre scientific value, presented in popular scientific magazines 2 No special distinguishing features; lack of publications 1 Number of presented problems: 5 or more 5 Number of presented problems: 4 4