Tom 17 (2013): Zeszyt 3 (September 2013)

This paper presents the findings of research carried out by the author, concerning the development of tourist function in the period 1995-2005. Tourist function was defined by means of two features: the number of tourists using lodging facilities and the number of companies registered in the REGON system, section H. In order to quantify the tourist function, a synthetic measure (Ft) was employed according to the procedure of Z. Zioło (1973). Based on this measure, five levels of tourist function development were specified. Next, an analysis was carried out on what changes (quantitative and spatial) occurred in the development of tourist function in rural areas. Special attention was paid to the so-called tourist communes (gmina), i.e. those where the tourist function is developed to at least an intermediate level. For these communes, nine functional types were identified, based on two features – the average length of visitors’ stay and the percentage of all-year lodging). Moreover, changes taking place in the studied period were specified.

This paper discusses recreational use of protected land with the example of Las Kabacki, a forest located in the southern part of Warsaw, in the vicinity of the district of Ursynów. The area has been excluded from traditional forest cultivation since 1938. From 1980 onwards it has enjoyed the status of a reserve due to its natural resources and scenic attributes. Highly developed and densely populated residential areas (Natolin-Wyżyny and Kabaty) lie adjacent to the northern border of the forest. For their inhabitants, Las Kabacki is a key recreational area. This results in a functional and spatial conflict of interests between nature protection objectives on the one hand and the recreational needs of inhabitants on the other hand. To find the answer to the question of how to match the interests of a natural reserve with leisure requirements, users of Las Kabacki were asked for their opinions regarding the following issues: the natural values of the reserve and their perception, forms of preferred recreational behaviour in the reserve, awareness of threats to the natural environment in the reserve arising from anthropogenic pressure, readiness to resign from preferred forms of leisure in favour of protecting nature, and possibilities for eliminating the conflict of interests between the recreational use of the reserve and protection of its natural values. Also, two SWOT analyses were carried out aimed at determining a nature conservation strategy in the reserve as well as its leisure use.

Changes in the position of geography as a field of education are examined in the context of the socio-political transition in Poland after 1989 and in relation to the changes in higher education. The influences of changes in higher education on the number of geography students in the years 1990–2009, the regional differentiation of interest in geography studies, and developments in staff and the organization of schools with geography programmes are analysed. In the years 1989/90–2008/09 the number of higher education schools offering geography programmes increased by one third. The range of programmes offered was widened with new specialisations

The analysis covered girls, aged 9-18, from farmer, farmer-worker and non-farmer rural families inhabiting 4 regions of Poland. Additionally, parents’ education, number of children per family and the wealth of the family were recorded. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of social stratification of the rural population, the economic crisis (1978-1989) and political and economic transition (1989) on the girls’ biological maturation. Age at menarche and body height were used as biological measures of living conditions. In the period 1967-1977 a marked acceleration in maturation and a significant increase in average body height were noted. The study repeated in 1987 demonstrated negative effects of the economic crisis (1977-1989). Research findings from 2001, after the political system transformation, provide evidence ‘compensating for losses’ recorded in girls’ biological condition during the crisis. The diversity of biogeographic and socioeconomic conditions of rural inhabitants in the studied regions is reflected in a marked diversification in age of menarche and body height.