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Introduction & Objectives Poland

Our aim is to develop transdisciplinary network of researchers, administration and non-government communities involved in the field of ES. We believe that creating a platform of contact between all interested actors will allow for more efficient dissemination of ES approach in the country.

The state of the ES issues in Poland

In recent years, the engagement of Polish partners in major international research projects has increased significantly.

During the years 2020 – 2023 Services provided by main Types of ecosystems in Poland – an applied approach was launched. The subject of the project was the mapping and assessment of services provided by the main types of ecosystems in Poland in a practical context (read more).

Between 2015 and 2018 Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan participated, along with 24 other partners from Europe, in the ESMERALDA Project – Enhancing ecoSysteM sERvices mApping for poLicy and Decision mAking. This project aimed to deliver a ‘flexible methodology’ that could simultaneously provide innovative building blocks for pan-European, national, and regional ES mapping and assessment (read more).

During the period from June 2017 to May 2022, the CONNECTING Nature Project – COproductioN with NaturE for City Transitioning, INnovation and Governance was implemented. The overarching objective of this initiative was to position Europe as a global leader in the innovation and implementation of nature-based solutions. Two of the 29 partners were Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan and the City of Poznań (read more).

In the years 2013-2017 the project Ecosystem services in young glacial landscape – assessment of resources, threats and utilization was carried out in Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization in Warsaw (Polish Academy of Sciences) and funded by National Science Centre in Krakow. The main aim of project was to assess the potential of environment (including its cultural aspect) for provision of ecosystem services in chosen municipalities located in the young glacial landscape (see Degórski et al. 2016).

In the years 2013-2016 the LINKAGE project – LINKing systems, perspectives and disciplines for Active biodiversity GovernancE was carried out. Its ultimate aim was to improve biodiversity governance in Poland and Norway by developing innovative protocols and technologies for biodiversity governance (read more).

Since January 2015 Environmental Monitoring Program in Poland is carrying out the program covering mapping and assessment ES in different types of ecosystems representative for the Polish landscape. The agenda of the program is presented by Kostrzewski et al. 2014 (available in English here).

MAES for Poland started in the second half of 2014, as a contract of the Polish Ministry of Environment. This work has been completed in the end of 2015 (see synthesis). Additionally, in March 2015 the Polish Ministry of Environment has launched the contract on Mapping and Assessment of Urban Ecosystems, which deals with the strengthening the use of ES approach in the protection and development of green infrastructure in cities. This project has been completed also in the end of 2015 (see abstract).

Since 2010 every two years Symposia on Ecosystem Services in Transdisciplinary Approach (ECOSERV) take place in Poznań. These events are milestones for the growing interest of Polish scientists (mainly geographers and economists) on ES. They show an overview of research achievements in the field of ecosystem services in our country.