1. The Valuable Elements Of Landscape And Nature And The

1. The valuable elements of landscape and nature and the need to protect them The area situated between the Skotniki, Kostrze and Pychowice localities is one of those places within Krakow, where the cultural landscape has survived with its full abundance of nature and historical heritage. It is a complex of picturesque meadows surrounded by forest-clad limestone hills which offers a place of recreation to many Krakow residents. Its nature and history have been chosen as a subject of numerous papers where the need to protect this area was always highlighted. On the one hand, as the area yields to intensifying pressure from human impact and to changes resulting from the abandonment of the earlier methods of land use (cutting for hay, grazing, etc.) in such sites in Krakow and elsewhere, on the other hand the number of the areas of this grade is greatly reduced. The most valuable resources of the environment often disappear, bringing the loss of cultural values, and hence, taking away the possibilities to use the area for recreational or scientific purposes.

Meadow complex at Kostrze; phot. January Weiner [+] The area concerned is situated in the south-western part of Krakow between the localities of Skotniki, Kostrze, Bodzów and Pychowice, in the fork of two streets: Tyniecka and Winnicka (Podgórze district), some 4 - 5 km from the city centre. The area encompasses a complex of meadows and woods, including Łąki Królówki (meadows) and a wood on Góra Pychowicka (hill). The whole complex covers 3.9 km2.