Finansowane ze środków unijnych projekty rewitalizacji przestrzeni nadrzecznych i ich znaczenie dla turystyki i rekreacji – wybrane przykłady

Abstract

As a result of centuries-long anthropogenic impact on rivers and their related vicinity, currently these are often areas of high degradation of both natural and social environment. Constantly increasing ecological awareness of communities related to degraded areas resulted in increased popularity of land restoration and revitalization projects for these regions. An essential element that encourages such actions is all kinds of legal-administrational instruments along with financial support of EU funds and programmes (e.g. REURIS). Besides obvious ecological benefits, revitalization of watercourses and their vicinity is also important for local communities. Even introduction of new aesthetic values alone causes that areas undergoing land restoration and revitalization can provide recreation and tourism with values that are unusual for degraded urbanized areas (e.g. revitalized Ślepiotka valley in Katowice or programs carried out within the revitalization scheme for the Bydgoszcz Water Junction) and in regions outside cities, they are used for restoration and maintenance of objects with well-recognized tourist function (e.g. Elbląg Channel).