Legal protection measures for bioculturally valuable trees in Lower Silesia (Poland)

Old and remarkable trees, along with other trees of special interest, represent a unique part of our living heritage. The purpose of the research has been to map the measures taken in the Lower Silesian Voivodship to protect trees of high biocultural value and assess the effectiveness of those measures. The tree protection efforts of Lower Silesian communes from 2009 to 2023 were examined through an analysis of local government resolutions pursuant to which formal protection was granted to or revoked from trees. Additionally, spatial distribution and frequency analyses were used to evaluate the effectiveness of these actions across different types of communes and subregions, while the diversity of protected tree species was assessed using the Shannon–Wiener index. An analysis of legislative acts demonstrated that between 2009 and 2023, more than 60 % of Lower Silesian communes did not show a tendency to formally protect trees. Moreover, over 70 % of urban communes solely focused on revoking tree preservation orders. In the Wrocław subregion, the highest number of communes that officially protected trees and the widest variety of tree species under new preservation orders were documented. The research showed that typically only a small number of tree species is protected, with 30 % being Quercus robur. The efforts made in Lower Silesia to protect ancient and valuable trees may be deemed inadequate. Between 2009 and 2023, communes more frequently revoked tree preservation orders than granted them and they granted protection. The study identified the areas most at risk of losing bioculturally valuable trees. Moreover, such a significant contrast in actions undertaken across subregions indicates the need for further in-depth research on tree protection throughout Poland. Expanding the study to other voivodships in the future may support the management of bioculturally valuable trees and help preserve them for future generations.