For many years, we have observed a significant rise in urban population, the spatial development of cities, and an increase in urbanized areas. More and more people feel the need to have contact with nature. The interest in forest recreation is growing, though the forest is a serious source of allergenic plant pollen. The aim of the present study was to compare two forest types in the context of their recreational potential and the effect strength of aeroallergens. This study was conducted in SE Poland in a Nemoral Scots pine forest (RB) and in a Central European submountainous beech forest (TH). Their recreational potential was assessed. Samples of moss containing plant pollen were collected under the canopy, from forest clearings and forest edges as well as in an open area. Based on the number of pollen grains deposited in moss pollsters, the forest impact on humans was calculated. The recreational potential values for both sites studied are evidence of the high recreational suitability of these forests, but the recreational capacity of RB is lower compared to TH. Palynological analysis showed that the pollen deposition is higher in BR and that the plant pollen risk is lowest under the canopy, regardless of the forest type. The beech forest was found to be characterized by greater recreational potential and a weaker actual effect of pollen allergens than the pine forest. In assessing forest recreational potential, palynological data should form the basis for modification of the degree of recreational suitability. Such information would also be useful in controlling recreational traffic since, as we have proved, visiting appropriate places in a forest allows the exposure of allergen sensitive people to be reduced.

Studies show that forests are one of the main recreational destinations. This can be explained by their beneficial effects on the health of their visitors, which can be attributed to compounds from the terpene group. The aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition of air in the interiors of Nemoral Scots pine forests and submountainous beech forests, with the determination of compounds of the terpene group. Samples of organic compounds present in the air were collected with the use of Tenax TA sorbent tubes. The process of separation, identification, and determination of the extracted organic compounds was carried out with the use of the gas chromatography technique integrated with a flame ionization detector. Additional identification of the extracted compounds was carried out with the use of GC coupled with mass spectrometry. The most abundant group of compounds was the aliphatic hydrocarbons, both saturated (linear and branched) and unsaturated (terpenes). Carbonyl compounds were also found in the collected samples, but they constituted no more than 10% of all compounds present on the chromatograms. The concentrations of terpenes and terpenoids in the forest atmosphere varied from 10 to 74 µg·m⁻³, representing on average 33% of the total volatile organic compounds.

The study was designed to examine the relationship between features of forests and the quality of forest landscapes, and to determine the strength of effect of the features in the aesthetic value of the landscape. The methodology applied to assess forest landscapes took into account the following features: forest site humidity, age of forest, terrain slope, site index of stands, species composition of the tree layer, under-story cover, colour and composition, mosaic-like, as well as horizontal structure of the tree stands. The study was conducted in temperate forests located in Central-Eastern Europe – more precisely – in south-eastern Poland. In the investigated area the dominating tree species are: Pinus sylvestris L., Abies alba Mill., Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus L. They cover 42.2%, 20.8%, 20.4% and 6.5% of the total forest area, respectively. The findings show that nearly 1% of the area of the examined forests within the relevant territory are characterized with very high landscape value, over 67% with high, 31% with medium, and less than 0.5% with low landscape value. A strong relationship occurs between terrain slope vs. aesthetic quality of landscape as well as forest site humidity vs. aesthetic quality of landscape. Weak effect was observed for site index of stands vs. aesthetic quality of landscape, and moderate relationship was identified in the case of the remaining features. The findings show the strength of relationship between the features of forests and the aesthetic quality of landscapes, consequently providing a tool for forest managers to develop attractive forest landscapes in selected areas.

Open Access Agricultural Journals published by Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information