ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Indicator-Based Assessment for Soil Resource
Management in the Wrocław Larger
Urban Zone of Poland
Szymon Szewrański1, Jan Kazak1, Romuald Żmuda2, Rafał Wawer3
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1Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Spatial Economy,
ul. Grunwaldzka 55, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland
2Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Environmental Protection and Development,
pl. Grunwaldzki 24, 50-363 Wrocław, Poland
3Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, Department of Soil Science Erosion and Land Conservation,
ul. Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Submission date: 2016-11-10
Final revision date: 2017-03-03
Acceptance date: 2017-04-03
Online publication date: 2017-08-31
Publication date: 2017-09-28
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2017;26(5):2239-2248
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ABSTRACT
This article presents a discussion about the issue of soil resource management in the context of sustainable
development. These resources are one of the basic resources on Earth, conditioning the sustainable
development of present and future generations by providing the capacity for food production. The study
contains an indicator-based assessment of changes in available soil resources as a result of progressive
urbanization processes in the suburban area of a big city. The case study was the Wrocław Larger Urban Zone
in Poland. The applied methodology allowed for the valorization of urban sprawl processes on agricultural
land. As a result, municipalities were divided into groups that characterize different suburbanization
processes and their impact on the available soil resources. By using the proposed approach, it is possible
to support the spatial development management process in order to protect the valuable components of
the environment. The results of the research show that 29 rural precincts located around Wrocław have
a high soil transition index (W≥50), which proves their inefficient agricultural management system on a
regional scale. The study is an attempt to answer a question on the practical implementation of sustainable
development goals that were included in Agenda 2030.