Natural evaluation of landscape in urban area comprising Bielański Forest nature reserve and surroundings, Warsaw, Poland. Directions for landscape protection and planning

Abstract

Abstract Directions for landscape protection and planning. Problems of maintaining remnants of natural ecosystems in urbanized areas, planning of systems of natural areas in cities and ways of natural evaluation for these purposes, in order to improve environmental conditions for inhabitants, are very current. The aim of the paper is the presentation of methodical approach to natural evaluation of landscape and formulating recommended guidelines for landscape protection and planning in the urban study area including the Bielański Forest nature reserve and its surroundings. The presented method of landscape evaluation consists on: division of the study area into spatial-landscape units characterized with relatively similar type of landscape, analyses in units’ areas and external preconditions, selection of suitable criteria of natural evaluation determining the way of estimation – the range of points awarded in each criterion (points bonitation) and interpretation of results. The guidelines for landscape protection and planning have been formulated, among others maintaining and improving of three external ecological corridors.