The role of local spatial plans in forest land protection and transformation under urban pressure

Résumé fourni par la source

A key challenge today is finding a compromise between meeting growing social needs and protecting natural resources. Spatial planning is a tool that can mitigate such conflicts, particularly with regard to land protection, including that of forest land. This paper presents the challenges that spatial planning faces in protecting and transforming forest land, especially in the face of increasing urban pressure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of local spatial development plans in safeguarding and transforming forests under urbanization pressure. The hypothesis posited that these plans predominantly maintain forest functions while permitting the regulated conversion of specific forest areas to non−forest uses under stringent planning regulations. The territorial scope encompassed municipalities adjacent to the city of Warsaw that are subject to intense urban pressure, characterized by very high population growth, a high proportion of forest land, and a high coverage of local development plans. Three research sites were selected: the municipalities of Marki, Ząbki, and Kobyłka. To achieve the study’s objectives, forest land (marked as “Ls” in the land and building register) within the selected municipalities was identified using a GIS environment. The designations of these areas in local plans were verified, and their prospective development conditions were categorized into six established classes. The analysis determined the extent to which forest land retains its original designation in local plans, the area allocated for non−forest purposes, and the proportion of forest land not covered by local plans. To examine afforestation preferences, an analysis of land designations for forest purposes in local plans was also conducted. The study showed that despite strong urban pressure, most forest lands retained their forest status in local spatial development plans, with only specific areas being designated for residential purposes under restrictive urban planning parameters.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.