Spatial adequacy of afforestation in Poland: do afforestation needs and environmental preferences matter?

Abstract

The article concerns the afforestation of agricultural land, especially soils of low quality classes with little suitability for agriculture. The assumption was made that in order to effectively implement afforestation and optimize spatial structures, these lands should be analyzed from the point of view of environmental and spatial conditions (including the quality of the land and its suitability for field crops, cohesion of the forest ecosystem, the presence of naturally valuable areas), according to the potential of a given area. Land that is ineffective in cultivation and does not improve the cohesion of the ecosystem should be treated as preferred for afforestation. The assessment of the spatial adequacy (optimization) of afforestation in the context of afforestation needs and predispositions was carried out for Poland in terms of municipalities using the spatial autocorrelation model and methods. The research results indicate the need to strengthen the effectiveness of solutions that take into account the endogenous potential of municipalities.