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Number of results: 18
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Abstract

Rural areas have great potential, which properly supported can signifi cantly accelerate the socio-economic development of the country. However, the resources and values of individual areas are spatially diversifi ed, which means the diversity of development challenges and the necessity to diversify the instruments of local development policy as well as the territorialisation of development policy. The need to deal with development issues in connection with the development of urban functional areas and, more broadly, node regions, remains unchanged for all types of rural areas, which means the necessity of joint planning of spatial development, implementation of common development strategies of the entire functional area and pursuit of common socio-economic goals. The endogenous theory of local development remains valid, but it must be based on resources that go beyond the administrative boundaries of a single municipality. The need for network local development planning applies in particularly to peripheral rural areas, since rural municipalities often do not have sufficient economic potential to stay competitive even on a local scale. Only in partnership with other municipalities, within the framework of nodal regions, they can implement more eff ective competitive strategies. Another aspect of the network cooperation is the need to involve non-public entities into local economy. Establishing partnerships for the implementation of development goals may increase the chances of achieving a favourable competitive position and implementation of effective development strategies.

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Authors and Affiliations

Maciej Pietrzykowski
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Abstract

The paper raises the issue of optimizing the control of the rural low voltage microgrids. Microgrids can operate in a synchronous mode with grids of distribution system operators and in an island mode. We can distinguish two control strategies in microgrids: one approach based on centralized control logic, which is usually used, and another on decentralized control logic. In this paper we decided to present the approach based on the distributed control, combining the efforts of the distributed cooperative control and modified Monte Carlo optimization method. Special attention has been paid to the impact of the order of processing particular devices’ groups on results of optimization calculations. Moreover, different scenarios of behavior of the microgrid control system with respect to the communication loss have been also presented. The influence of the issue of continuity of communication between particular devices’ groups on the possibility of carrying out the optimization process has been investigated. Additionally, characteristics of power loads and generation of electricity from small renewable energy sources appearing in rural areas have been described and the sensitivity of the optimization algorithm to the changes of demanded power values and changes of values of power generated by renewable energy sources has been studied. We analyzed different objective functions which can be used as an optimization goal both in synchronous and island operation modes of microgrid. We decided to intensively test our approach on a sample rural LV microgrid, which is typical in the countryside. The observed results of the tests have been presented and analyzed in detail. Generally, results achieved with the use of proposed distributed control are the same as with the use of centralized control. We think that the approach based on distributed control is promising for practical applications, because of its advantages.

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Authors and Affiliations

M. Parol
P. Kapler
J. Marzecki
R. Parol
M. Połecki
Ł. Rokicki
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Abstract

The paper raises the issue of controlling rural low voltage microgrids in an optimal manner. The impact of different criterion functions, related to the amount of energy exchanged with the distribution system operator network, the level of active power losses, the amount of energy generated by different energy sources and the value of financial performance measures regarding the microgrid operation, on the choice of operating points for devices suggested by the optimization algorithm has been analyzed. Both island and synchronous microgrid operation modes are being considered. We propose two variants of the optimization procedure: the first one is based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm and centralized control logic, and the second one takes advantage of the decentralized approach and Monte Carlo methods. A comparison of the simulation results for two sample rural microgrids, obtained for different objective functions, microgrid operation modes and optimization procedure variants, with the use of prepared algorithm implementations, has been provided. The results show that the proper choice of an objective function can have a crucial impact on the optimization algorithm’s behavior, the choice of operating points and, as a consequence, on microgrid behavior as well. The choice of the proper form of the objective function is the responsibility of the person in charge of both the microgrid itself and its operation. This paper can contribute towards making correct decisions in this area. Generally, slightly better results have been achieved for the centralized control mode of operation. Nevertheless, the results also suggest that in many cases the approach based on distributed logic can return results that are better or sufficiently close to the ones provided by the centralized and more sophisticated approach.

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Authors and Affiliations

M. Parol
Ł. Rokicki
R. Parol
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Abstract

The Polish energy sector is, to a large extent, based on fossil fuels used in conventional energy, which is not entirely consistent with the current energy policy of the European Union. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the use of renewable energy sources that guarantee the preservation of the value of the natural environment in rural areas. It should be emphasized that in addition to the economic effect, the environmental effect is very important, understood as the impact of renewable energy on the natural environment and the quality of life of rural residents. The intensive development of RES raises a lot of controversy among politicians, as well as among rural residents, who are also associated with the myths regarding renewable energy as harmful to the natural environment.

Rural development should be connected with the socio-economic situation, and even more so with the socio-cultural situation of its inhabitants, because it assumes that the development of rural areas in Poland is associated not only with agriculture, but also with historical and natural values and their durability.

The aim of this work is to determine the attitudes of the inhabitants of rural areas of the Podkarpackie Province on the impact of renewable energy sources on the natural environment. The work assumes that the durability of rural areas is largely connected with the ability to preserve their natural values, as well as ensuring a satisfactory quality of life for residents. The basic source of data was surveys carried out in 2017 among 282 inhabitants of the Podkarpackie Province .

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Authors and Affiliations

Marian Woźniak
Bartosz Saj
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Abstract

In 1981, Polish canoeists (members of the Bystrze Academic Travel Club) made the first journey along the waters of the River Colca in the section located in Arequipa Province (Peru), along which the waters flow in a deep canyon. Information on this sporting achievement – and a description of the Canyon and its surrounding area filled the Peruvian press and tourist publications around the world, ensuring that the Colca Canyon became one of the most important goals for tourists anywhere in Peru from that time on. However, mass infl uxes of tourists, noisy trips, the development of hotel infrastructure and other items required in tourism have generated permanent change in the character of the Colca Valley, and done much to influence the lives of its inhabitants.

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Authors and Affiliations

Hildegardo Córdova Aguilar
Mirosława Czerny
Andrzej Czerny
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Abstract

The Water Framework Directive (WFD), whose basic aim was to create a legal back-ground for water bodies’ protection, undoubtedly affects all economic sectors. Being a specific and distinctly different water user, agriculture will have the greatest share in the implementation of WFD out of all sectors of national economy. This results from its special character (60% of the country area used by agriculture), large volume of water consumed by evapotranspiration, diffuse pollution etc. Implementation of WFD will call for undertaking of many activities to restrict an unfavourable im-pact of agriculture on water resources and water related ecosystems. It is assumed that agriculture should also protect water resources. Accomplishment of this task imposes significant changes in the land use of river basins. Water management can be an essential factor deciding about the sustainable development of rural areas and biological diversity of agricultural landscape. Actions undertaken so far to implement the WFD are mainly limited to the protection of water quality from agricultural pol-lution. It is also necessary to undertake implementation of other aims of WFD. This refers especially to the provision of good hydromorphological status of water bodies, protection of water related eco-systems and effective water use.

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Authors and Affiliations

Waldemar Mioduszewski
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Abstract

Trade is one of the key factors determining sustainable city development and its surroundings. City development is a result of provision of goods and services to city inhabitants, and residents of its surrounding areas. Retail trade in Poland belongs to economy sectors in which the processes of market changes were started the earliest. Discount stores that apply the strategy of low prices in the in the process of market conquering are currently one of the most dynamically developing selling formats. These shopping facilities are located in many Polish cities, including small towns and rural areas. The aim of the article is to show the scale of investments in new discount shops in small towns and rural areas in Poland in 2012–2015. Research focused at devoted to this field is important from the point of view of choosing the location of new investments related to discount chains and of the small towns and rural areas development strategies. Identification of consequences of discount chains operations in chosen rural areas and small towns can impact the verification of the policy adopted by local authorities in relation to spatial planning and forming the functional structure of the space. It will result in more conscious (rational) decisions in terms of localizing new discounts, which will reduce the number of local conflicts related to location of such facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

Małgorzata Twardzik
Katarzyna Bilińska-Reformat
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Abstract

Land consolidation procedures are an attempt to comprehensively change the existing spatial structure of land in rural areas. This treatment also brings many other social and economic benefits, contributing to the development of consolidated areas. Land consolidation in mountain areas differs in many respects from those implemented in areas with more favorable conditions for the functioning of agriculture. The unfavorable values of land fragmentation indices, terrain conditions and lower than the average soil quality affect both the dominant forms of agricultural activity and the limited opportunities to improve the distribution of plots in space, parameters of shape, and the area as a result of land consolidation. For this reason, the effectiveness of land consolidation in mountain areas can be achieved by improving the quality of transportation network and the accessibility of the plots, arranging ownership issues and improving the quality of cadastral documentation. This article presents the evaluation of the measures of effectiveness of land consolidation realized in mountain areas on the example of Łetownia Village in the Małopolska Province, located in the southern part of Poland. Selected village is an area with unfavorable conditions for the functioning of agriculture and high values of land fragmentation indices.
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Authors and Affiliations

Jarosław Janus
Magdalena Łopacka
Ewa John
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Abstract

Rural development policy of Agricultural Property Stock (APS) of the State Treasury in Poland is run by the National Support Centre for Agriculture (until 31.08.2017 Agricultural Property Agency). In the article, on the example of the Braniewo municipality, the size and spatial distribution of land transferred from the Agricultural Property Stock (APS) of the State Treasury to the municipality was analysed. One of the most important goals associated with this was activities related to social aspects, often part of the revitalization and renewal of the rural areas. After Poland's accession to the Euro-pean Union, it was possible to obtain subsidies that allowed the rural population to apply for financing projects, such as: road construction, creating school playgrounds or socio-cultural facilities. Authors also analysed examples of good practic-es in this area in the municipality of Braniewo, as a recommendation for other municipalities. Attempts have also been made to indicate the role of the National Support Centre for Agriculture in the transformation of the Polish countryside, with particular emphasis on the areas of former State Agricultural Farms.

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Authors and Affiliations

Marek P. Ogryzek
Krzysztof Rząsa
Mateusz Ciski
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Abstract

The author’s aim was to present actual conditions of rural primary schools functioning and the spatial differentiation of their network reorganization with particular emphasis on the consequences of those schools liquidation change their a governing body other from the local government units (LGU) to local community organizators. The study was focused on rural areas of the Małopolskie Voivodship over 2000–2016 period. In the paper were presented the number of pupils and schools (open and closed) and the school governing bodies structure too. Those data, obtained by the author from the Local Data Banks and the Board of Education in Cracow and were presented for each statistical locality. A population and settlement concentration in many rural areas made costs of schools maintenance higher and higher. Thus school governing bodies faced a difficult decision – either to reorganize the actual school network or to spend more on education from the municipal budget. Most complicated structures is observed in the rural areas showing depopulation and dispersed settlement, the zones of traditional agricultural. In all rural areas of the Małopolskie Voivodship, the number of pupils in primary schools during the analysed period decreased nearly by 30%. Thus 118 small rural schools were closed i.e. in the county Miechów, of 43 schools remained only 21. The number of closed schools would be much higher without a activity of the local communities, which began to take over their schools from the LGU. Within rural areas the Małopolskie Voivodship in 2016, 123 schools were run by local organization i.e. over 11,5% of all the rural primary schools.

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Authors and Affiliations

Marcin Semczuk
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Abstract

Challenges with respect to potable water supply in Vhembe District threaten the health and welfare of local community. This paper is aimed at assessing the challenges and residents’ coping strategies to improve the potable water supply systems in rural areas in Vhembe District Municipality (VDM). Data for this paper was collected from households, councillors, traditional leaders and municipal officials through questionnaires, interviews and focus-group discussions. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used and thematic content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. The results showed that the main sources of water are ground water from boreholes which are used by about 45.3% of the communities, followed by tap water from the dams, by 35.3%, then rivers by 4.0%, fountains by 5.4% and water tankers by 10.0%. Among the identified challenges are: aged water infrastructure, system breakdowns, lack of funding, vandalism of infrastructure and lack of maintenance, operation of infrastructure by unskilled technicians, theft, and non-payment of water services, among others. To cope with water supply challenges, the study recommended that communities play active role in water projects which would include paying of water supply service for its sustainability. They should also play active roles in water committees that will manage, operate and maintain the water supply with the assistance of VDM officials. It was concluded that the rural water supply situation can be improved when communities, government and other relevant stakeholders cooperate and provide solutions and resources.
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Authors and Affiliations

Tuwani Petrus Malima
1
ORCID: ORCID
Beata Kilonzo
1
ORCID: ORCID
Jethro Zuwarimwe
1
ORCID: ORCID

  1. University of Venda, Institute of Rural Development, School of Agriculture, P.O. Box x5050 Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
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Abstract

The scope of water management is to meet water demand by supplying water to the population and to the national economy; to provide water to the users in such sectors as agriculture, energy, navigation, tourism and recreation, as well as the environment; and to warrant water safety (including protection against floods and droughts). Health and well-being of the Polish population depends on the quality of the environment, therein access to water in adequate quantity and quality. The country struggles with management of low water resources whose quality is still inadequate. The present paper, co-authored by numerous Polish experts, leaders in research and in practice, presents a critical view on the water management in Poland. Among the specific topical areas covered by this paper are: water needs, policies and legislation, as well as governance. The authors specify recommendations for a range of necessary, and urgent, actions to be taken by decision makers and politicians, who are responsible for formulation of appropriate principles and their implementation. Development of adequate legal framework at various spatial levels (EU, national, regional, local, as well as at the river basin scale) is of essential importance for warranting people’s well-being. It is necessary to establish control aimed at keeping the subtle balance between the governance, legal acts, and adequate financing.
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Authors and Affiliations

Zbigniew Kundzewicz (red.)
1
Janusz Zaleski (red.)
Elżbieta Nachlik (red.)
Anna Januchta-Szostak (red.)

  1. Instytut Środowiska Rolniczego i Leśnego PAN w Poznaniu
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Abstract

Condition of Development of AgriTourism in the Grodno Region of the Republic of Belarus. The article studies the dynamics of the development of rural tourism in the Republic of Belarus and the Grodno Region for the period 2015-2017, as well as the results of a survey of the owners of rural estates.

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Authors and Affiliations

Natalia Barkova
Dorota Ryszkowska
Roman Rudnicki
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Abstract

The authors analyse around 300 names with ideological components drawn out from a list of around 5,000 colonies, villages, hamlets, rural settlements and khutors located in the USSR, in which Germans lived in the 1920s and 30s. These oekonyms-sovieticisms can be classifi ed into three groups: 1) those derived from the names of individuals who had achieved renown (e.g. Ленинфельд, Подарок Ильича, Роза Люксембург, Марксфельд, Либкнехтдорф, Тельман, Клара Цеткин, Кировсфельд, Калининталь), 2) those commemorating phenomena and events linked with the Revolution and the era of Soviet rule (e.g. Красная Германия, Ротвейде, Ротер Штерн, Краснофельд, Октоберберг), 3) those referring to areas of production (e.g. Счастливый Труд, Культурный пахарь, Арбейтслибе).

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Authors and Affiliations

Jolanta Mędelska
ORCID: ORCID
Michał Sobczak
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Abstract

Uranium concentrations in groundwater taken from private drilled wells have been never determined in Poland, implying a lack of available data to quantify the human exposure to U through drinking water consumption, especially in rural areas influenced by mining activities. The main aim of the study was the assessment of human health risk related to the consumption of well waters containing U, collected from selected rural areas of the Lower Silesian region (Poland). The random daytime (RDT) sampling method was applied to the collection of well waters from three control study areas (CSA): Mniszków (CSA-A), Stara Kamienica/M. Kamienica/Kopaniec (CSA-B) and Kletno (CSA-C). The analyses of RDT samples were performed by validated method based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Uranium concentration ranges in well waters and the estimated geometric means for individual control study areas were: 0.005-1.03 μg/L and 0.052 μg/L (CSA-A), 0.027-10.6 μg/L and 0.40 μg/L (CSA-B), and 0.006-27.1 μg/L and 0.38 μg/L (CSA-C). The average and individual chronic daily intakes (CDI) of U by drinking water pathway (adults/children) were in the ranges of: 0.0017-0.013/0.0052-0.040 μg · kg-1 · day-1 and 0.0002-0.90/0.0005-2.71 μg · kg-1 · day-1. The average %TDI and ranges of individual %TDI (adults/children) were: 0.17%/0.52% and 0.02-3.4%/0.05-10.3% (CSA-A), 1.3%/4.0% and 0.09-35%/0.27-106% (CSA-B), and 1.3%/3.8% and 0.02-90%/0.06-271% (CSA-C). The estimated average CDI values of U through well water are significantly lower than the TDI (1 μg · kg-1 · day-1), while for individual CDI values the contribution to the TDI can reach even 90% (adults) and 271% (children), indicating essential human health risk for children consuming well water from private drilled wells located in CSA-B and CSA-C (5.3% of total number of samples collected).

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Authors and Affiliations

Sławomir Garboś
Dorota Święcicka
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Abstract

This paper presents the use of multi-criteria analysis as a tool that helps choosing an adequate technology for a household wastewater treatment plant. In the process of selection the criteria of sustainable development were taken into account. Five municipal mechanical-biological treatment plants were chosen for the comparative multi-criteria analysis. Different treatment technologies, such as sand filter, activated sludge, trickling filter, a hybrid system - activated sludge/trickling filter and a hybrid constructed wetland system VF-HF type (vertical and horizontal fl ow) were taken into account. The plants’ capacities were 1 m3∙d-1 (PE=8) and they all meet the environmental regulations. Additionally, a solution with a drainage system was included into the analysis. On the basis of multi-criteria analysis it was found that the preferred wastewater treatment technologies, consistent with the principles of sustainable development, were a sand filter and a hybrid constructed wetland type VF-HF. A drainage system was chosen as the best solution due to the economic criteria, however, taking into consideration the primary (ecological) criterion, employment of such systems on a larger scale disagree with the principles of sustainable development. It was found that activated sludge is the least favourable technology. The analysis showed that this technology is not compatible with the principles of sustainable development, due to a lack of proper technological stability and low reliability.

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Authors and Affiliations

Krzysztof Jóźwiakowski
Zbigniew Mucha
Agnieszka Generowicz
Stanisław Baran
Jolanta Bielińska
Włodzimierz Wójcik
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Abstract

Municipal solid waste collection points (MSWCPs) are places where residents of municipalities can leave their waste free of charge. MSWCPs should operate in every municipality in Poland. The Geographic Information System (GIS) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) were used in conjunction as tools to determine potential locations of MSWCPs. Due to possible social conflicts related to the location of MSWCPs, three variants of buffer zones for a residential area were adopted. As a result of the spatial analysis carried out using the GIS software, 247 potential locations were identified in variant no. 1 (which accounted for 7.1% of commune area), 167 for variant no. 2 (6.3% of commune area), and 88 for variant no. 3 (3.8% of commune area). The most favourable locations for MSWCPs were determined using the AHP method with additional criteria for which weights were calculated as follows: the area of a designated plot (0.045), actual designation of a plot in the local spatial development plan (0.397), distance from the centre of the village (0.096) and the commune (0.231), and population density of a village (0.231). The highest weights (over 50%) in the AHP analysis were obtained for 12 locations in variant no. 3, two of which had an area over 3 ha. The adopted methodology enabled to identify quasi-optimal solutions for MSWCP locations in the analysed rural commune. This research has the potential to influence future waste management policies by assisting stakeholders in the MSWCP location.
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Authors and Affiliations

Mateusz Malinowski
1
ORCID: ORCID
Sylwia Guzdek
2
ORCID: ORCID
Agnieszka Petryk
3
ORCID: ORCID
Klaudia Tomaszek
4
ORCID: ORCID

  1. University of Agriculture in Cracow, Department of Bioprocesses Engineering, Energetics and Automatization, ul. Balicka 116b, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
  2. Cracow University of Economics, Department of Microeconomics, Kraków, Poland
  3. Cracow University of Economics, Department of Spatial Management, Kraków, Poland
  4. University of Agriculture in Cracow, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Agrophysics, Kraków, Poland

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