Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Administratio Locorum

Protection of the quiet and nocturnal landscape

2024-11-07T12:00:02+00:00

Motives: We associate landscape primarily with the presence of vistas that change with the time of day, season and weather conditions. Landscape is shaped by light and darkness, sound and silence, all of which influence its perception. Quiet and nocturnal landscapes, however, remain on the margins of scientific interest in traditional landscape studies.
Aim: The main aim of the study was to identify the younger generation’s awareness of the importance of nocturnal landscapes, light and noise pollution, and their preferences for protection against these threats. For this purpose, a diagnostic survey method was used. The results of the survey were referred to the 2015 TNS Poland report prepared for the Ministry of the Environment. In addition, the legal conditions of landscape protection in Poland were identified, with reference to protection against noise and light pollution. National and international experiences in the protection of quiet and nocturnal landscapes were also presented.
Results: The survey demonstrated that public awareness of light pollution is increasing. A nocturnal (and quiet) landscape is of high value to the respondents. Light pollution causes, among other things, energy waste and landscape degradation (change of landscape characteristics), while noise negatively affects human and animal health. Therefore, the nocturnal (and quiet) landscape should be protected by law. Currently, there are no direct instruments for the protection of nocturnal landscapes in Poland. On the other hand, in the case of quiet landscapes, there are some instruments (e.g. quiet zones), but they have not been used yet. It is encouraging that public awareness of light and noise pollution is increasing. It is necessary to link landscape protection with the protection of the night sky and quiet zones, for example through advertising resolutions and the establishment of cultural parks. It is also important to educate the public about the risks involved.

An iterative model for the development of an urban development strategy – a case study of Polanica-Zdrój (Poland)

2024-11-07T11:59:59+00:00

Motives: The current approach to the design of public space in cities is changing due to the global situation, i.e., the climate and health crisis, as manifested by the COVID 2019 pandemic. There is a need to develop and apply new, innovative research methods and techniques that allow both an in-depth knowledge of a given area and the monitoring of the changes that occur in this area. One of the proposals for such a framework is an iterative model based on the results of the analyses carried out during the research and design work using the research through design (RtD) method.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the applicability of the iterative process model for the development of urban strategy, particularly in terms of designing more resilient urban public spaces.
Results: The iterative process model was tested during consultation meetings on the development strategy for the municipality of Polanica-Zdrój. The design concepts developed during the research were an excellent support for illustrating the goals of the spatial policy of the municipality of Polanica-Zdrój as specified in the draft of its development strategy. They became the starting point for the future design process. A project with blue-green infrastructure (BGI) elements was included in the draft development strategy as an exemplary project for the development and modernization of tourism and tourism-related infrastructure of a supra-local, infrastructural and linear nature. A study using the RtD method supported the identification of opportunities and limitations associated with the implementation of BGI in the protected urban areas.

Green infrastructure as understood by stakeholders in small and medium-sized towns in Poland

2024-11-07T12:00:05+00:00

Motives: In urban governance processes involving local communities, green infrastructure (GI) is an important proxy for the local quality of life. In this paper, the authors focus on GI in small and medium-sized Polish towns, which attracts much less research interest than that in large cities. The study covered 97 towns, and it included desk research and a questionnaire survey of local authorities and NGOs.
Aim: The aim of the study was to determine whether residents are involved in the management of urban GI, whether local authorities and communities have identified the need to develop new GI, and whether they are taking appropriate measures to maintain and preserve the existing GI resources. Another objective was to examine the priority of existing GI resources in governance policies.
Results: The levels of citizen participation and GI management in small and medium-sized towns were ranked. The general observation is that green spaces are not an effective participation tool in small towns. The situation has gradually improved in medium-sized cities and towns within metropolitan regions, but this does not seem to be a determining factor.

Theoretical and Methodological Foundations of Uncertainty Modeling in Real Estate Markets

2024-11-07T11:59:54+00:00

Motivation: The need to improve the accuracy and reliability of market valuation and risk assessment in real estate markets, especially under conditions of uncertainty.
Aim: To integrate theoretical foundations and methodological approaches for modeling aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties in real estate markets using credal networks and confidence boxes (c-boxes).
Approach: This paper presents a comprehensive theoretical and methodological framework for uncertainty modeling in real estate markets, focusing on the application of credal networks and confidence boxes. It does not include empirical validation or practical case studies, instead providing a detailed conceptual and methodological discussion.
Results: The proposed method demonstrates significant improvements in uncertainty quantification and market analysis accuracy in theoretical terms, offering valuable insights for investors, urban planners, and policymakers. However, empirical validation is suggested for future research to confirm practical applicability.

Cluster analysis of travel behaviour threats in chosen European functional urban areas during the economic crisis

2024-11-07T11:59:55+00:00

Motives: Urban mobility models are constantly changing due to economic, social, infrastructural, and geographical factors. Preferences for transport modes vary by country, region, and city, and transport infrastructure and policy have a significant impact on residents’ choices. Additionally, economic factors such as economic crises, public policy decisions, and events such as armed conflicts have a significant impact on the dynamics of mobility in functional urban areas (FUAs).
Aim: The main goal of the research was to create groups of countries (clusters) that have similar priorities regarding travel behaviour threats revealed as a result of the economic crisis resulting from the conflict in Ukraine.
Results: The study shows that the main threats during the economic crisis (resulting from the war in Ukraine) are economic factors (e.g., ticket prices, an increase in fuel costs), legal factors (e.g., loss of a driving license or passenger transport license), and infrastructural factors (e.g., poor condition of infrastructure). The analysed countries were grouped based on the hierarchical prioritization of threats, using Ward’s hierarchical clustering method. Interestingly, the distance from the conflict epicentre did not significantly influence the prioritization of threat factors influencing transportation behaviour in FUAs. Instead, factors such as membership in international organizations, energy dependence on Russia, the level of economic growth, and transport infrastructure played a more key role in the priority-setting process.

Resting in the forest in times of pandemonium for the betterment of life, or bushcraft in the Polish National Forests

2024-11-07T12:00:03+00:00

Motives: In the context of the global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to develop new, safe forms of recreation and nature education.
Aims: The Polish State Forests are introducing the concept of bushcraft, which has gained popularity among those willing to develop such skills. Sociological research and analysis of forest resources have helped to develop regulations for this form of recreation and a map of places where it can be practiced. The availability of information on the website of the General Directorate of State Forests is an important consideration, as it can facilitate the process of organizing recreation for participants and foresters.
Results: The pilot program “Stay overnight in the forest” has been a success, attracting interest without negatively affecting forests and ecosystems. In the face of current and future pandemic challenges, such an innovative form of recreation may attract nature enthusiasts.

Church surroundings as spaces with a health-promoting function – possibilities and dilemmas

2024-11-07T12:00:00+00:00

Motives: Climate and socio-economic changes exert a negative influence on human health, both physical and psychological. Therefore, various solutions are needed to address this problem, and the spaces surrounding religious sites should be analysed to determine whether they can improve health. Can plant and garden arrangements accompanying parish churches have health-promoting properties?
Aim: The aim of this work was to answer the above questions by analysing selected parish churches of the Lublin Archdiocese.
Results: An analysis of the compositional structure of vegetation and the functional-spatial arrangement of religious sites revealed that these spaces have vast, albeit not fully utilised potential. Despite the fact that these spaces are addressed predominantly to believers, their unique features can promote recreation and even improve health, regardless of one’s religious beliefs and practices.

The right of perpetual usufruct and the principles of a market economy

2024-11-07T11:59:57+00:00

The right of perpetual usufruct is deeply rooted in the Polish legal system. Perpetual usufruct has a long history, and it is unlikely to be abolished in the near future. Therefore, the extent to which the right of perpetual usufruct is consistent with the principles of a free-market economy should be determined. In the present study, this issue has been examined comprehensively by describing the economic aspects of this right. The fees associated with perpetual usufruct can attract individuals who have an interest in establishing this right. However, these fees can also discourage potential usufructuaries. Despite the above, perpetual usufruct fees constitute a steady source of income for territorial self-governments which grant the right to perpetual usufruct of municipal land. In addition to a comprehensive overview of perpetual usufruct fees, this study also involved a survey to determine the extent to which territorial self-governments exercise the legal rights associated with the collection of perpetual usufruct fees.

Alternative forms of housing for longevity based on case studies of multigenerational houses in Poland

2024-11-07T12:00:08+00:00

The subject of the article is a case study analysis of three experimental projects of multigenerational houses that emerged after 2019 in Polish cities. The author hypothesizes that multigenerational houses represent an alternative form of housing to nursing homes, creating an environment that supports the health and independence of residents of different ages for as long as possible. The purpose of the research conducted is to answer the question of what components of the support system for the elderly are important in the choice and intentional transition to alternative living arrangements and how this relates to multigenerational homes in the cases studied. The research in this article consists of four phases. The first phase examined the institutional and informal approach to organizing care for the elderly in Poland and outlined the components of the support system for the elderly that are necessary for the choice and conscious transition to alternative forms of housing in the aging process. In the second phase, the experience with the governmental program "Multigenerational House" in Germany was analyzed and a multigenerational house was defined. In the third phase, the case study method was used to examine the experience of multigenerational houses built and functioning in Polish cities in recent years: Multigenerational House in Łódź (2019), Multigenerational Housing in Warsaw (2019-2021), Multigenerational House in Wrocław (2020). In the fourth phase, based on the literature review and the analysis of functioning multigenerational houses, a comparative analysis was made and conclusions for further research were drawn.

Regional development and communication networks: Case study of Western Ukraine

2024-11-07T12:00:07+00:00

Motives: Communications are the basis of the existence of contemporary civilization. Today, innovation processes are carried out the most intensively, perhaps, in communications. The level of the formation of communication networks largely determines both the preconditions and the contemporary development of areas.

Aim: The aim of our research is to analyze the interdependencies between the level of socio-economic development of areas and the formation of their communications on the example of local territorial units of Western Ukraine.

Results: The correlation analysis demonstrates significant links between communication networks and the development of areas. It is not always possible to say unequivocally what cause and effect are in a particular case. According to the results of our study, socio-economic development in Western Ukraine has a more significant impact on the functioning of communication networks than communication networks on socio-economic development. Like other natural and socio-economic resources, communication networks are only prerequisites for the area's development. The emergence, perception by the population, and wide spread of new communications depend on some factors, among which an important place belongs to the area's socio-economic development level.