This manuscript summarizes the process by which large trees are protected in Poland, how they gain protected status, and the use of acoustic tomography to assess the structural soundness of five individual trees. The authors discuss tree stressors and tree care options, and how the outcome of each assessment was used in the decision-making process. Moreover, the use of acoustic tomography as an assessment tool helps to gain public acceptance for the assessment. In sustainable development, there is talk of the conscious management of urban vegetation, and specifically tree populations in the city. In line with sustainable development, actions are taken to manage the existing natural resources, e.g., historic trees, properly. Thanks to using an acoustic tomograph, it is possible to diagnose old tree specimens, take care of the safety of people and property near the natural monument, and to test candidates for their eligibility as monuments. Thanks to the research presented, it was ordered that one poplar tree be left and observed in Lublin, that two linden trees be cut down in Sandomierz and Lublin, that arborist works consisting of lowering the height of a linden tree in Sandomierz be undertaken, and that monument protection be applied for an ash tree in Łęczna. A visual tree assessment (VTA) was the starting point for this research. Each of the trees could endanger the safety of site users, and the diagnostics performed using sound waves were crucial in assessing their health condition. Our results highlight that acoustic tomography is an essential diagnostic method applicable to trees belonging to cultural heritage, such as old trees, and is effective in preventive tree management through the monitoring of mid- to long-term changes in internal decay or cavities that are difficult to diagnose with the naked eye.

The mission of botanical gardens is to work towards the conservation and sustainable use of plant diversity. In the case of gardens established on the premises of former manor estates, actions are also being taken to properly manage existing natural resources, e.g., historic tree stands. This article is based on the case study of the Botanical Garden in Lublin. To assess the health condition of the trees growing in the oldest part of the park—Kościuszko Redoubt—sonic tomography examinations were performed. The article presents the practical application of a newer form of digital imaging, put to the service of assessing the health of old trees in an important public space. The Redoubt is the only work of defense architecture in Poland related to the activity of General Tadeusz Kościuszko, the hero of Poland and the United States of America. It has survived in an excellent condition, preserved without significant changes, as an earth structure with ramparts; an interior, i.e., a yard; a cannon post located on an inaccessible cliff; and a brick basement serving as a shelter for soldiers and a warehouse. The entire surroundings also survived: ravines masked with a wild green, embankments with a safe hidden access road to the Redoubt, and a shaped defense line. The Botanical Garden area is located in the Sławinek district, in the valley of the Czechówka River, and includes a fragment of it and the slope adjacent to the west, cut by three loess ravines. The Botanical Garden was established in 1965, where there was a manor farm earlier, and then in the 19th century, a spa that was destroyed during World War I and II. Good soils and a varied microclimate provide the right ecological conditions for the high biodiversity of plants. With an area of 21.15 ha, the Garden area has the character of a landscape park with the theme of a manor garden from the turn of the 18th/19th century and a spa garden. The primary purpose of the work was to investigate the effectiveness of the use of computer tools in the sustainable management of historical greenery in the Botanical Garden. Research has shown that diagnostics with the use of sound waves allow for an accurate diagnosis and quick protective measures against the tree, improving the safety of visitors to the botanical garden. Moreover, the obtained results and a historical query were used to prepare an application to recognize Redoubt as a monument.

Praca porusza współcześnie ważne zagadnienia dotyczące zrównoważonego rozwoju miast z zachowaniem bioróżnorodności. Artykuł ma charakter przeglądowy, obejmuje analizę literatury przedmiotu i ocenę systemów przyrodniczych miast Lublina oraz Warszawy. Procesy globalizacji wywierają coraz silniejsze piętno na jakości środowiska. W równym stopniu zanieczyszczeniom i degradacji podlegają wszystkie jego komponenty: atmosfera, hydrosfera, pedosfera i biosfera. Nigdy dotąd tyle elementów i układów środowiska nie zostało poddanych tak silnej antropopresji, która zakłóca lub niszczy równowagę ekologiczną. Miasta rozrastają się, wypierając przyrodę. Wiele gatunków roślin, owadów, ptaków czy ssaków całkiem dobrze sobie z tym radzi, choć obserwuje się również nadmierny rozwój gatunków inwazyjnych. Trudno jest godzić interesy rozwoju miasta z potrzebami natury. Biorąc pod uwagę z jednej strony szybkie rozrastanie się miast i zapotrzebowanie na nowe grunty pod budownictwo, a z drugiej strony silny nacisk kładziony na troskę o bioróżnorodność i zachowanie ekosystemów oraz związane z tym niekorzystne interakcje, coraz częściej sygnalizuje się problemy związane z połączeniem często skrajnych potrzeb. Praca niniejsza jest próbą oceny sytuacji w tej dziedzinie, opiera się na analizie sytuacji związanej z bioróżnorodnością w dwóch miastach: Warszawie i Lublinie jako przedstawicielach dość odmiennych aglomeracji, zwłaszcza w związku z gęstością zaludnienia i szybkością zmian podyktowanych antropopresją.

Hortiterapia i bukieciarstwo skierowane są do wszystkich grupy pacjentów: dzieci, osób starszych, osób z zaburzeniami psychofizycznymi i umysłowymi, ludzi z dysfunkcjami fizycznymi i sensorycznymi, a także osób uzależnionych od narkotyków, alkoholu itp. Hortiterapia może odbywać się w ogrodach przy szpitalach, domach opieki społecznej, domach spokojnej starości, ośrodkach dla osób uzależnionych, a także w terapeutycznych gospodarstwach o profilu rolnym i ogrodniczym. Celem pracy jest przedstawienie wyników licznych badań nad pozytywnym oddziaływaniem roślin na człowieka oraz opisanie przykładów zastosowania ogrodu jako elementu pomocniczego w rehabilitacji. Od lat 30. XX w. wspomniana forma terapii alternatywnej popularna jest w Stanach Zjednoczonych, Australii, Kanadzie, Japonii, Wielkiej Brytanii, Niemczech, Holandii, Belgii i krajach skandynawskich. W Polsce pionierem w stosowaniu ogrodu, jako środka wspomagającego leczenie jest Szpital im. św. Ludwika w Krakowie. Kolor, kształt, zapach, faktura roślin i obiektów małej architektury, dźwięk wody w fontannie, szum wiatru, śpiew ptaków oraz rozmowa z innymi osobami przebywającymi w ogrodzie stymulują narządy zmysłów i uatrakcyjniają rehabilitację. Dotykanie roślin, wdychanie pięknego zapachu oraz wykonywanie czynności ogrodniczych prowadzi do redukcji napięcia psychicznego i stresu. Poprzez wzmocnienie siły mięśni, poprawę koordynacji, równowagi i wytrzymałości fizycznej terapia ogrodowa wspomaga rehabilitację zdrowotną.

The sustainable management of urban greenery consists, among others, of the inventory, valuation, and protection of trees of monumental size. This article presents the results of the inspection of 13 large trees growing in the city of Sandomierz, located in south-eastern Poland. The examined specimens belong to five species: Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), white poplar (Populus alba L.), English oak (Quercus robur L.), and small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.). The health condition of the trees was assessed using acoustic and electrical tomography, as well as chlorophyll fluorescence tests. Diagnostics employing sound waves and electrical resistivity were crucial in assessing tree health. The data based on chlorophyll fluorescence confirmed the results obtained during tomographic examinations. It was an innovative combination of three non-invasive methods of examining the health condition of trees and their valuation. Economic valuation allows us to reduce to common denominator issues that are often difficult to decide due to different perspectives—expressing the economic value of trees. Calculating the value of trees allowed us to show the city’s inhabitants the value of trees that are of monumental size. Thanks to the cooperation of scientists with the city authorities, an economic plan for trees of monumental size was created, distinguished by an individualized and holistic approach to each specimen covered by the study. The database prepared has a chance to become an effective management instrument used by environmental protection authorities and a source of knowledge and education for the city’s inhabitants.

Within the current administrative boundaries of the city of Lublin, fragments of roadside tree avenues of various historical origins and periods of establishment have been preserved, including former tree-lined roads leading to rural and suburban residences from the 18th and 19th centuries. This avenue once led to the manor in Konstantynów and now serves as the main road through the campus of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski—KUL). As one of the last surviving elements of the former rural landscape, the Konstantynów avenue represents a symbolic link between past and future. The research combines acoustic tomography and chlorophyll fluorescence analysis, providing a precise and non-invasive evaluation of the internal structure and physiological performance of 34 small-leaved linden trees (Tilia cordata Mill.). This methodological approach allows for early detection of stress symptoms and structural degradation, offering a significant advancement over traditional visual assessments. The study area is an intensively used urban campus, where extensive surface sealing beneath tree canopies restricts rooting space. The degree of surface sealing (paving) directly beneath the tree canopies was also measured. Based on the statistical analysis, a weak a non-significant weak negative correlation (r = −0.117) was found between the proportion of sealed surfaces within the Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) and the Fv/Fm vitality index, indicating that higher levels of surface sealing may reduce tree vitality; however, this relationship was not statistically significant (p = 0.518). The study provides an evidence-based framework for conserving historic trees by integrating advanced diagnostic tools and quantifying environmental stress factors. It emphasizes the importance of improving rooting conditions, integrating heritage trees into urban planning strategies, and developing adaptive management practices to increase their resilience. The findings offer a model for developing innovative conservation strategies, applicable to historic green infrastructure across Europe and beyond.