Institute of Geography and Regional Development

July 25, 2022 by Oliwia Gertych

University of Wrocław, Poland | Image Source

As the academic year of 2021/2022 has come to an end, it makes a perfect time, to sum up, all the latest activities of the Institute of Geography and Regional Development. May was one of the busiest months this year for the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management, full of academic and administrational growth. In the recently published Research Digest, you may read all about the most intriguing publications by the department’s faculty. And now, let’s take a look at other news on IGRD’s front.

International Conference in south-western Serbia

Gostilje waterfall, Serbia | Image Source

On May 5-10, 2022, prof. Z. Jary, dr hab. K. Widawski, Dr J. Raczyk and Dr J. Skurzyński participated in an international conference in Zlatibor in the south-western Serbia. The conference was titled 'Geo-Trends 2022 - 3rd International Conference on Geoheritage and Geotourism'. The professors discussed the heritage of Lower Silesia national parks and ecotourism development in south-eastern Poland.

Topić Cave, Serbia | Image Source

The meeting allowed  Dr hab. K. Widawski (Department of Regional Geography & Tourism) to be interviewed by Serbian television on the development of tourism in Europe. During the field trip, the professors visited the Topić Cave, an open-air museum of sweater production and the Gostilje waterfalls.

A scientific expedition to Spitsbergen

Spitsbergen | Image Source

On May 5–17, 2022 Dr Łukasz Stachnik took part in a scientific expedition to Spitsbergen carried out in cooperation with Dr Maciej Bartosiewicz and Mgr Nathan Darellis (Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences) and prof. Jakob Zopfi (University of Basel, Switzerland).

Spitsbergen | Image Source

The research, carried out as part of the METVISARC project 'Visualization of methane fluxes along coastal banks of Arctic permafrost and glaciers' (PASIFIC program), concerned the impact of changes in the Arctic (including glacier recession, degradation of permafrost) on the greenhouse gas cycle (methane and carbon dioxide) in arctic lakes. The researchers collected water samples and sediments from the bottom of two lakes (Revvatnet and Myrktjorna) in the vicinity of the Polish Polar Station and the Stanisław Baranowski Polar Station.

Scientific research at the herbarium of the Kew Royal Botanical Garden

Kew Royal Botanical Garden | Image Source

On April 25–04, 2022, Piotr Owczarek participated in scientific research at the herbarium of the Kew Royal Botanical Garden (Richmond - London, Great Britain). The trip took place as part of the research project of the National Science Center: 'Reconstruction of the climatic conditions of the Arctic before the period of instrumental measurements on the basis of a dendrochronological analysis of blood cell vegetation and historical botanical collections' (project manager: Magdalena Opała-Owczarek, PhD).

Kew Royal Botanical Garden | Image Source

The research covered historical herbarium cards collected during arctic expeditions at the turn of the 20th century, incl. Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen (Fram), Robert Peary, Henry Frederick Stephenson (Alert and Discovery).

Workshop at Hala Izerska

Hala Izerska, Poland | Image Source

On 17–21 May at Hala Izerska took place an international workshop organized by dr hab. Marek Kasprzak and dr hab. Knut Kaiser from the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences in Potsdam. The meeting was attended by scientists specializing in palaeogeographic, and its slogan was as follows: “Floodplain changes by historic deforestation in the Izera / Jizera / Iser Mountains” (river valley environmental changes as a result of historical deforestation).

Jagnięcy Potok, Poland | Image Source

The workshop was a continuation of previously conducted research in the Ore Mountains on the German-Czech border. Field works were carried out in the Izera Valley Torfowiska nature reserve, mainly along the Jagnięcy Potok stream, after obtaining the consent of the Regional Director of Environmental Protection in Wrocław.

Iser, Poland | Image Source

The main interest of scientists were river sediments and buried tree trunks, the deposition of which marks the episodes of intense deforestation in this part of the Sudetes. Many samples of organic and mineral material were collected and will be dated during laboratory tests. The main goal of these works is to precisely define the time, causes and phases of deforestation in the Western Sudetes. The research is interdisciplinary and conducted by scientists from universities in Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic.

A study visit to Peniche

Lighthouse in Peniche, Portugal | Image Source

On May 9–13, dr hab. Krzysztof Janc took part in a study visit to Peniche (Portugal). The visit was organised as part of the 'SPOT Sustainable Spatial Planning of Tourism Destinations' project carried out by an international consortium under the Erasmus + program. During his stay in Peniche, dr hab. Krzysztof Janc conducted the 'Challenges of Europeanisation from different perspectives' workshops for students from five universities (Italy, Portugal, Norway, Turkey, and Poland).

Spring series of scientific workshops in Romania

Buzau, Romania | Image Source

On May 11-13, 2022, the last of the spring series of scientific workshops related to the “Social and innovative Platform On cultural Tourism and its potential towards deepening Europeanisation (SPOT)” project took place. The participants discussed the issue of the importance of stakeholder cooperation for the development of cultural tourism in the research areas of the project, as well as the possibility of using the results of the SOPT teams' research for the development of local communities. These days were spent in Buzau, getting to know the natural and anthropogenic values ​​of the area, as well as meeting representatives of organisations involved in the tourist development of this part of Romania.

On an ending note, we would like to wish all the university students and the faculty a peaceful summer time, as well as more project opportunities and research ideas in the year to come.

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