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The article contains detailed petrographic studies, which covered a coarse and medium-grain gravel fraction of two layers of glacial till (units ŁS II and ŁS IV) and two layers of sand-gravelly outwash deposits (units ŁS I and ŁS III) related to the Odranian Glaciation (MIS6, Saalian) in Łubienica-Superunki, North Mazovian Lowland, central Poland. Additionally, the indicator erratics were identified to indicate their Scandinavian source areas and the directions of the ice sheet transgressions. This case study is discussed against the background of similar sediments and forms from the same age but from other places in the Polish Lowlands. Regardless of the facies types and fractions, crystalline rocks dominated over all other petrographic groups in all samples. The most common were the indicator erratics derived from the Åland Islands, followed by those from the south-eastern area of Sweden (Småland) and from Dalarna in central Sweden. Amongst the erratics of limited indicative significance, the most common were Lower Palaeozoic limestones and the Jotnian red sandstones. The complex petrographic analyses point to the dipartite nature of the studied profile. This separateness was confirmed by the TBC: 59.1–59.2° N and 18.0–18.2° E for the lower units and 58.8–59.4° N and 17.3–17.9° E for the upper ones.

The paper presents abiotic resources which are located in a small town in central Poland. They remain unknown to authorities and inhabitants. For the first time they are illustrated in a scientific paper. The objects of local geological heritage point to geodiversity of this district town in the south-western Mazovia. When the geodiversity is interpreted in a simple, an understandable way, it may become attractive for tourists. We show how abiotic resources located within an urban area can be used to support urban geotourism development. The scientific, educational and aesthetic values of these resources may create the town image in accordance with the principles of environmental protection.

The geotourism potential of ten geosites, occurring within the Drawskie Lake District, north-western Poland, was evaluated to demonstrate the need for the establishment of a geopark named “Postglacial land of the Drawa and Dębnica rivers”. Each site was investigated in respect of its scientific (geological and geomorphological), educational, economic, conservation, and added values. It has been found that two geosites, being also cultural heritage sites (Drahim Castle and Pottery Settlement in Sikory), have the greatest geotourism potential. Different aspects of inanimate nature are promoted in both geosites. Thanks to the existence of such objects there is a good chance for the successful development of geotourism, which is a tool for the sustainable socio-economic development of the region.

In the present paper, ten erratic boulders in the Świętokrzyskie Province (Central Poland) are described in detail, indicating their Scandinavian origin area, location, form of protection, petrographic type and morphology. In particular, special attention is placed on an evaluation of these boulders’ current and potential significance for geotourism with the aim of promoting geotourism. The Devil’s Stone from Kamienna Wola has a very high potential for promoting geotourism. Two other erratic boulders in Radoszyce and Wilków can promote geotourism to a lesser degree. The potential of the remaining boulders to promote nature-based tourism is medium or low. Some solutions are proposed to increase the importance of these erratic boulders in the sustainable development of the research area.

Glacial tills and fluvioglacial sediments deposited by the ice-sheet during the Pomeranian Stage (Weichselian) in northeast Germany have been examined in terms of the degree of abrasion, rounding and frosting of quartz grain surfaces in order to determine the conditions and processes that occurred in the alimentation environment of the fine-grained material, as well as during transport. Strata in the glaciomarginal zone and the hinterland of the Pomeranian Stage in the area represent diverse lithofacies, but have similar textural features. These features illustrate mainly that a high-energy aquatic environment had reacted with glacial deposits prior to their inclusion into the ice mass and deposited in the area covered by the Odra lobe. The lack of regional diversification in the character of quartz grain surfaces in glacial deposits between the German part of the Odra lobe and the remainder of the area analysed is recorded solely in the morphological dimension, i.e. the outlet fragment of the ice-front’s course, but not in textural features of the sediments

The chapter presents the different abiotic resources of Pruszkow that show evidence of geodiversity in this district town located in central Mazovia, Poland. Some of the objects described are certain to become urban geotourist points of interest. Unfortunately, the municipal authorities and also the inhabitants are unaware of the scientific, educational, and aesthetic value of these resources. That is why they remain unused in the sustainable development of the district and town as well as in the creation of the town’s image. The chapter suggests that some abiotic elements of nature in Pruszkow should be adapted for touristic purposes in accordance with the principles of environmental protection.

GEODIVERSITY OF THE DRAWA NATIONAL PARK, NW POLAND Abstract. This article aims to identify and evaluate geodiversity as well as geotouristic attractiveness of the Drawa National Park (DPN), north-western Poland, including evaluation of individual geosites. As a consequence, the most precious geotouristic values of the DPN are presented. The ranking method of basic fields and geosites was used. Criteria of evaluation of the area included as follows: terrain relief, the presence of petrographic objects, hydrographic network, special biological values protected by the law, accessibility for tourists, and cultural and added values. Geosites were evaluated in terms of geological and geomorphological values, added values and practical values. The analysis indicates 125 basic fields of low geodiversity (valuable qualities of natural and cultural heritage occur singly, the area is difficult to access, and there are no added values). Fifty basic fields are indicated by moderate geodiversity. They are located along the Drawa and Plociczna rivers. These fields were also evaluated as moderately attractive. The interesting hydrographic objects are generally not accompanied by the most attractive geomorphological ones. The elements that increase to some extent the geodiversity of the area are geosites of precious technical-cultural and historical heritage. Two fields: R13 and R14 are characterized by high geodiversity, because the most precious natural values are accompanied by the cultural ones. The varied relief of diversified genesis has an easy access; the area shows special hydrographic and biological values. The added values, appreciated by tourists, are frequent. This small area of 2 km 2 has a high geotouristic potential. Therefore, the predicted human impact in attractive or very attractive places requires an appropriate action to preserve and protect geomorphological/ inanimate heritage.

Zarys treści. Geoochroną Pojezierza Drawskiego objetych jest kilkanaście obiektow przyrody nieozywionej; wśrod nich znajduje sie od niedawna ogrodek petrograficzny w okolicach PolczynaZdroju. Zgromadzono w nim 51 glazow narzutowych z okolicznych pol, ktore przede wszystkim reprezentują dwie grupy genetyczne skal: magmowe i metamorficzne. Celem artykulu jest nakreślenie roli poznawczej, edukacyjnej i geoturystycznej tego nowego obiektu. Inwentaryzacja objela podanie wymiarow i wyliczenie wagi kazdego z glazow, określenie proweniencji i przyporządkowanie wiekowe oraz rozpoznanie typu petrograficznego. Zwrocono uwage na przyklady oddzialywania procesow morfogenetycznych, modyfikujących powierzchnie okazow. Nakreślono plany utworzenia na tym terenie geoparku, ktorego ogrodek petrograficzny stalby sie cennym geostanowiskiem. Slowa kluczowe: glazy narzutowe, georoznorodnośc, geoturystyka, geoochrona, Pojezierze Drawskie.

Kite aerial photography (KAP) is a low-cost means to acquire large-scale, low-height, high-resolution aerial imagery. It is commonly practiced at low altitude for geological, environmental, and many other scientific applications. The method has been used much less at higher altitudes above 1000 m, however. We present examples of high-altitude KAP from the High Plains and Rocky Mountains in the United States and the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia and Poland. Based on these experiences, we find that KAP is feasible in the altitude range ∼1000–2500 m, particularly for those places that are relatively open and have semiarid climates. Such sites include high plains, mountain forelands, and broad intermontane valleys. Mountains, in contrast, have more frequent cloud cover, experience highly variable wind, and often have poor access, which lead to more difficult KAP conditions. Above 2500 m altitude, low air density becomes a significant limitation for kite flying. High-altitude KAP is a means to portray l...

The petrographical features of the medium- and coarse-grained gravels (4-10 mm and 20-60 mm, respectively) of weathered and fresh (unweathered) deposits indicate, in combination with so-called indicator and statistical erratics, that two glacial lobes joined in the borderland of the Polish Lowlands and Uplands. Lower Palaeozoic limestones become less frequent in the finer gravel fraction, whereas crystalline rocks and flints become more frequent. The petrographical analysis of the coarser gravel fraction indicates that the ice sheet advanced from the NE to NNW (the Widawka lobe) and from the NE to ENE (the Rawka, Pilica and Luciąża lobes). The source areas of the gravel deposited by the Warthian ice sheet were magmatic and sedimentary areas of both the Baltic and the SE Sweden basins. National Science Centre project ‘Morphogenesis of the area between Radomsko, Przedbórz and Piotrków Trybunalski as evidence of the determinants, course and role of the youngest glacial events of the borderland of central Poland’s Lowlands and Uplands’ (N N306 721140; 2011–2013)