Landslides and erosion processes cause a high level of morphological diversity which, over the course of time, results in an increased level of forest species and habitat biodiversity. According to the principles of landscape ecology, information concerning points of convergence—understood as transition zones between elementary parts of a slope—could be interpreted as a surrogate for biodiversity. To recognize locations of land surface disruption, points of convergence derived from a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) were used in the research. It was assumed that relationships exist between landslide geodiversity and biodiversity and that from the DEM it is possible to select bare-earth surface structures where points of convergence can be identified. In order to verify this hypothesis, indicators of biodiversity such as richness of plant species and species diversity were checked. Based on the spatial distribution of points of convergence, locations of sample plots were planned and these indicators were verified during fieldwork. Samples were taken both in areas with a high concentration of points of convergence and in areas with a low concentration (or absence) of points of convergence. The results show that species diversity in the areas having a high concentration of points of convergence was significantly higher than in the areas having a low concentration of points of convergence. The proposed method allows the selection of parts of forested landslides that have the potential to develop a high level of biological diversity; it thus supports the management of areas of forest ecosystems with high levels of biodiversity within the scope of a cutting system. This may entail avoiding the traversal of areas that potentially possess high biological diversity with skid roads, preserving parts of these areas with thick vegetation for forest game purposes or leaving predominant and dead trees. The proposed method may also be used in scientific research into processes of biodiversity appearing on forested landslides.

The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of sugar beet pulp (SBP) in particleboard production as a substitute for wood material. Two variants of board density, 650 kg/m³ and 550 kg/m³, containing 0%, 25% and 50% of SPB, were evaluated. During the study the following features were measured: modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA). The results showed that boards containing up to 25% of SBP meet standards for boards for general-purpose used in dry conditions. Further increases in SBP content deteriorated some of the investigated properties of the boards.

Building plots, understood as land properties intended for development, are an important object of commercial transactions. Their prices are determined by several factors, such as location, state of development, distance from important urban centres, and proximity to green areas. It is certain that, especially with regard to building plots intended for single-family housing, the proximity of natural areas, especially forest areas, is becoming increasingly important. The Otwock region, with a forest cover of more than 30%, has numerous undeveloped lands that are or could be development plots. This article concerns an analysis of transactions involving undeveloped development land of selected communes in the Otwock region. On the basis of an analysis of prices of real estate transactions from 2011 to 2016 from four municipalities of the Otwock region and a spatial visualisation of the plots, the relationship of price (m²) with physical characteristics (technical development, shape, area), distance from a large city (Warsaw), and distance from a railroad line stop and landscape values (landscape type, distance to the forest, number of landscape components) was determined. Statistical analyses used regression and correlation analysis. The preferences of 519 people interested in buying/selling real estate in the Otwock region were also investigated, and for this purpose, we cooperated with real estate offices and municipal offices. The results of the survey strongly indicate that forest landscapes increase the attractiveness of building plots, which in turn leads to higher prices on the market. The results of the study show that there is a relationship between the price of a property and its distance to the forest, the nature of the forest boundary, and the number of landscape elements. The forest landscape is one of the most important factors determining the attractiveness of a building plot. Proximity to a forest, especially forests under a form of protection, is an important value for prospective land plot buyers. The views of respondents varied considerably due to socio-demographic characteristics, mainly the age and education of respondents.

In recent years, European cities have experienced rapid changes in their functional and spatial organisation, which have affected, among others, the natural environment, the economy and society. The intensive and often uncontrolled growth of residential development associated with suburbanisation significantly impacts areas located around urban areas. Growing investment pressures usually lead to the transformation of rural and naturally valuable areas, altering their character and functions. Solving these problems requires developing a method to determine the main directions and intensity of land use changes in the context of urbanisation pressures and sustainable spatial development. This article presents the results of a spatiotemporal analysis of the dynamics of built-up area development in rural and suburban zones, utilising Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. The study focused on the expansion of single- and multi-family housing around the city of Białystok, Poland, between 1997 and 2022. The analysis was based on spatial data, including available orthomosaics and cadastral data from the Topographic Objects Database (BDOT10k). The GIS-based analysis covered an area of nearly 2000 km² and included methods for change detection, analysis, and land cover classification. The results indicated a marked intensification in landscape transformations, particularly in transition zones between rural and urban areas. At the same time, forests and protected zones significantly influenced the direction and pace of development, acting as natural barriers limiting spatial expansion. The results indicate the need to consider environmental factors (e.g., protected areas and forests) in spatial planning processes and sustainable development policies. The study confirms the high usefulness of GIS tools in monitoring and forecasting spatial change at both the local and regional scales. This research also contributes to the discussion on urbanisation, its characteristics, causes, and consequences, and highlights the role of green spaces in limiting sprawl.

W pracy przedstawiono nowe stanowiska 14 nierodzimych gatunków roślin naczyniowych, położone w środkowej i wschodniej Polsce. Dotyczą one zarówno gatunków często notowanych, których rozmieszczenie wydaje się być regionalnie niedoszacowane (Aesculus hippocastanum, Amorpha fruticosa, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Quercus rubra, Sorbaria sorbifolia, Syringa vulgaris), będących w początkowej fazie inwazji w regionie (Juglans regia), niedawno uznanych przez niektórych autorów za inwazyjne (Symphoricarpos albus) jak i rzadko, zwłaszcza regionalnie, notowanych (Ambrosia artemisifolia, Cerasus mahaleb, Elodea nuttallii, Senecio inaeuquidens, Vaccinium corymbosum).