The Importance of High Nature Value Areas in the Development of the Rural Areas of Lower Silesia

Joanna Szymańska , Pavel Jedlicka

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to diagnose the state of resources of natural areas under legal protection and to attempt to assess the importance of naturally valuable areas for rural development in the province Lower Silesia in 2005-2018. This study uses desk research methods: descriptive, analytical, and mathematical and statistical (using Excel software). It presents the use pattern of the total area of these lands, according to the forms of protection of their area and subregions administratively separated in this voivodeship. It pays attentions to selected possibilities of multifunctional rural development in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, the source of which are the values of the local natural environment. Analysis of source data showed that in Lower Silesia the total area of naturally valuable areas increased, which are under legal protection. Such areas contribute to the multifunctional development of villages and agriculture. Based on the analysis of specialized studies, it was found that in the vicinity of valuable natural and landscape areas in Lower Silesia, various forms of innovative tourism are developing (eco-agrotourism, thematic villages) and organic farming. This is a favorable phenomenon for ecological (better climate, greater biodiversity) and socio-economic (new jobs in rural areas) reasons.