<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Between 2009 and 2013, research was conducted in the commune offices for the Podlaskie voivodeship which have large areas of protected Natura 2000 sites. The research is repeated every few years and widened to include new communes. The aim of the research was to determine the influence of the protected areas on the economic conditions of the communes. It is widely assumed that protected areas generate income for communes, however the communes claim that they incur large additional costs. The surveyed communes were critical of obligatory legal requirements in relation to the protected areas. It was argued that there are problems with obtaining natural resources and with the establishment of new summer resorts, residential and farm buildings and infrastructure; as well as the use and management of the site. The communes’ benefits incidental to the ownership of the protected area are not clear. As part of the benefits, the protected areas offer an opportunity for tourism development. According to the communes, protected areas generate losses in which the estimated losses are several times higher than the potential income. Studies indicate that the conservation cost factor should be considered in terms of financing the communes from the state budget.</p></abstract>

Between 2009 and 2013, research was conducted in the commune offices for the Podlaskie voivodeship which have large areas of protected Natura 2000 sites. The research is repeated every few years and widened to include new communes. The aim of the research was to determine the influence of the protected areas on the economic conditions of the communes. It is widely assumed that protected areas generate income for communes, however the communes claim that they incur large additional costs. The surveyed communes were critical of obligatory legal requirements in relation to the protected areas. It was argued that there are problems with obtaining natural resources and with the establishment of new summer resorts, residential and farm buildings and infrastructure; as well as the use and management of the site. The communes’ benefits incidental to the ownership of the protected area are not clear. As part of the benefits, the protected areas offer an opportunity for tourism development. According to the communes, protected areas generate losses in which the estimated losses are several times higher than the potential income. Studies indicate that the conservation cost factor should be considered in terms of financing the communes from the state budget.

The public and economic aspects of the functioning of protected areas within a commune

Department of Environmental Protection and Management, Bialystok University of Technology

Miscellanea Geographica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Between 2009 and 2013, research was conducted in the commune offices for the Podlaskie voivodeship which have large areas of protected Natura 2000 sites. The...

The public and economic aspects of the functioning of protected areas within a commune

Published Online: Mar 20, 2015

Page range: 24 - 28

Received: Sep 03, 2014

Accepted: Nov 21, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2014-0032

Keywords
Nature 2000 site, national park, local self-government, questionnaire form, costs of exercising the protection

© Henryk Jaros

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The public and economic aspects of the functioning of protected areas within a commune

Published Online: Mar 20, 2015

Page range: 24 - 28

Received: Sep 03, 2014

Accepted: Nov 21, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2014-0032

KeywordsNature 2000 site, national park, local self-government, questionnaire form, costs of exercising the protection

© Henryk Jaros

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Nature 2000 site, national park, local self-government, questionnaire form, costs of exercising the protection