DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-025-2-0301

THE RECREATIONAL POTENTIAL OF ABANDONED FOREST CEMETERIES BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF WAŁCZ PROVINCE (NORTH-WESTERN POLAND) AND EASTERN PRUSSIA (NORTH POLAND)

Andrzej Długonski¹, Beata Fortuna-Antoszkiewicz¹, Jan Łukaszkiewicz¹

¹ Department of Landscape Architecture, Institute of Environmental Engineering, WULS-SGGW, Poland

Old forest cemeteries of abandoned regions in Central Europe are essential cultural landscape elements with a specific biodiversity potential. The research aimed to determine the ecosystem services of four multi-confessional cemeteries in Wałcz province (North-Eastern Poland). Materials and methods: In total, 2 forest cemeteries in Wałcz citywere researched, and the results using site observation and photographic documentation were elaborated. The study raises the following three issues- cemeteries as places of biodiversity, cultural diversity, and human recreational diversity. The results show that cemeteries serve as recreational and restorative places for specific urban population groups that sometimes do not find space in other green urban spaces. The cultural diversity of cemeteries of different religions differs considerably within the same city. As a standard feature of all cemeteries, it can be stated that they provide underestimated qualities for relaxation, reflection, and contemplation in noisy and tourism development in abandoned and undiscovered regions of Europe.

Klíčová slova: memorial parks, site observation, Eastern Europe, neglected spaces, thanatoturism

stránky: 301-304, Publikováno: 2025, online: 2025