Springs are unique phenomena that document water
circulation conditions. Their economic importance and
use often gives rise to the degradation of their natural
features. But they should be understood as a form of
natural heritage and protected like other abiotic elements
of nature. According to the Polish Act for Nature
Conservation (2004), nature parks and nature reserves
are the most effective legal means of protecting springs.
Springs are the most valuable elements of the several
nature reserves located in the Polish mountains, uplands,
and lowlands. The most popular type of legal protection
of individual springs is that of "nature monument". At
the beginning of 2008, 134 springs were protected in
this way - representing 7% of abiotic nature monuments
and 0.4% of the total number of monuments in Poland.
The number of monuments of this type has increased
greatly in recent times due to the activity of several
scientific groups and that of local governments as well.
The distribution of springs as nature monuments varies
greatly in Poland. Most of them are located in the
Carpathian Mountains and in the southern Polish
uplands. The legal protection of springs should help
prevent their persistent destruction, especially if it
stimulates the consciousness of local residents as well
as authorities
affiliation:
Wydział Biologii i Nauk o Ziemi : Instytut Geografii i Gospodarki Przestrzennej