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Long-Term Landscape Changes in the Ojców National Park (Poland) and Its Surroundings: Implications for the Effectiveness of Buffer Zones

Author

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  • Michał Jakiel

    (Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland)

  • Dominik Kaim

    (Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland)

  • Krzysztof Ostafin

    (Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland)

Abstract

Protected areas (PAs) serve as crucial elements in biodiversity conservation but are in danger of becoming isolated islands in human-dominated landscapes. It is related to landscape changes, especially changes in land use and land cover (LULC). Over the past decades, most research on the effectiveness of nature conservation has focused mainly on PAs, while the areas surrounding PAs are of key importance for maintaining ecological connectivity and biodiversity. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to determine the long-term changes in LULC within the selected national park in Poland and its surroundings and to assess the effectiveness of the BZ based on these changes. We hypothesized that, despite restrictions within the buffer zone, land development has intensified and increased, in the nearest surroundings of the analyzed national park. For the analysis, we selected Ojców National Park (southern Poland), one of the oldest national parks in Poland. We analyzed landscape changes before (since the 1930s) and after establishing the park and its BZ. We conducted a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the landscape structure and LULC. We used historical maps and the contemporary national LULC database. Our results showed that almost 40% of the study area consisted of lands with non-persistent LULC. The main changes include a three-fold increase in built-up areas and an increase in forest cover, mainly on abandoned agricultural land. We also found that land development around the national park is at a level similar to the general rate for the area outside the BZ. It suggests the ineffectiveness of the buffer zone in preventing land development. The identified long-term landscape changes the basis for sustainable development land management from the nature conservation perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Michał Jakiel & Dominik Kaim & Krzysztof Ostafin, 2024. "Long-Term Landscape Changes in the Ojców National Park (Poland) and Its Surroundings: Implications for the Effectiveness of Buffer Zones," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:15:p:6649-:d:1449371
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mingarro, Mario & Lobo, Jorge M., 2023. "European National Parks protect their surroundings but not everywhere: A study using land use/land cover dynamics derived from CORINE Land Cover data," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    2. Michał Jakiel & Anita Bernatek-Jakiel & Agnieszka Gajda & Maciej Filiks & Marta Pufelska, 2019. "Spatial and temporal distribution of illegal dumping sites in the nature protected area: the Ojców National Park, Poland," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 62(2), pages 286-305, January.
    3. Marta F. Calvache & María-José Prados & Júlia M. Lourenço, 2016. "Assessment of National Parks affected by naturbanization processes in Southern Europe," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(9), pages 1629-1655, September.
    4. Marta Kubacka, 2019. "Evaluation of the ecological efficiency of landscape protection in areas of different protection status. A case study from Poland," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(5), pages 628-641, July.
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