The Cistercian Landscape Compositions in Rudy Wielkie Park he Cistercian Landscape Compositions in Rudy Wielkie Park was established on 23 Noverneber 1993, On 1* January 2000, it was incorporated into the Landscape Park Cémplex of the Silesian Voivodship. The area of the Park is 505 km?, and 645 km? if the buffer zone is taken into account and it ranks fifth Polish land- scape parks in terms of size. It includes the area along the Ruda River, connecting the val- leys of the biggest Polish rivers: the Oder and Vistula Rivers. It was established to protect natural, cultural and landscape values of the regions of Raciborz and Rybnik (south-western part of the Silesian Voivedship). The most attractive features of this area in- clude its geology, vegetation cover and cultural values. In the area of the Park there are depos- its of gypsum, limestone, iron ore, tertiary fos- sils and the biggest erratic boulder stones in the Upper Silesia. Some dozen inland dune types are unique, wetlands, and rover heads are of great value. Forests occupy more than half of the Park ter- ritory. Over 40 plant communities were found in the area with over 1000 species of vascular plants The monastery and abbot's palace in Rudy Wielkie One of many surviving wayside shrines recorded — unfortunately a great proportion of these already extinct, or not recorded again over fairly long periods of time. Even though the num- ber of stations occupied by protected or rare species has dropped in the last few decades, there are still sorne places where they occur in Meg eDjjeIM Apny ul suoKisoduiog adeaspueq uels103SI9 ayyRudy Wielkie Park ions in The Cistercian Landscape Composit relatively large numbers, e.g. in the forestand ponds of the "Lezczok” na ture reserve. Among the most valu- able species occurring in the area, the following may be listed: alpine lords- -andladies Arum alpinum, hard-fern Blechnum spicant, three-stamened waterwort Elatine triandra and six- -stamened waterwort E, hexandra, haquetia Hacquetia epipactis, marta- gon lily ditium martagon, marsh clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata, holly-leaved naiad Najas marina and lesser naiad W. minor, royal fern Os- munda regalis, salvinia Salvinia naians, alpine squill Scilla bifolia, and water chestnut 7rapa natans. In the Park there are several hun- dred ‘monumental’ trees: oaks Quer cus, limes Tilia and ashes Fraxinus Apart from such trees growing sepa- rately there are also alleys of old trees It is along one such alley that a 158- -kilometre long tourist route, named after Polish winged hussars(a specific type of armoured cavalry of the 17" century) was formed, that runs through the Rudy Wielkie and tezczok localities in the direction of Racibérz, and commemorates the march of the Polish army under the King John Ill Sobieski, undertaken to relieve a Vienna besieged by the Turks. The faunistic surveys completed to-date have recorded 209 protected animal species as occurring in the Park, including 25 species in the cat- egory ‘in danger of extinction’ in Po- land, and placed in the Polish Red Book of Animals. In all, 14 amphib- ian species, 6 reptile species, 236 bird species and 50 mammalian spe- cies occur in the Park. Among the vertebrates declared to be in dan- ger of extinction in Poland, the fo! lowing species breed within the lim- its of the Park: crested newt Triturus cristatus, and among wading birds bitten Botaurus stellaris and little bittern /xobrychus minutus, red- Landscape Park in Rudy VWielkie; a patch of natural wood spans across the park area Flowering rhodadenron. A large collection of those beautiful shrubs can be found in the landscape park in Rudy Wielkie Storks are the part of the landscape of Racibérz Region to the right: The Ruda riverLandscape Compositions in Rudy Wielkie Park rcian The Cister Looking across meadowiands in the landscape park in Rudy Wielkie -crested pochard Netta rufina, and a bird-of-prey species white-tailed eagle Haliaétus albicilla, this list of breeding vertebrate species includes also, Leisler’s bat (lesser noctule) NWyctalus feisleri, and possibly also smooth snake Coronella austriaca, plus another bird-of-prey: black kite Milvus migrans, as well as two small mammais: forest dormouse Dryomys nitedula and fat dormouse Gils glis. Some elements of cultural heritage in this region date back to the 13" century when Cistercian monks established their monastery upon the Ruda river in 1258. They followed the rule of the Cistercian order demanding that the monasteries should be seated in forests far away from human settlernents. The Cistercian monks carried out diverse activities, including farming, for- estty, collecting wood for fuel, as well as a rough material for the production of tar and charcoal. Another of their activities was fish breeding, for which they created breeding ponds; they also contributed to the early industrialisation of the region as they introduced iron ore mining, iron metallurgy, steel and copper processing, as well as glassmaking. The original species composition of the forest managed by the monastery included beeches Fagus, oaks Quercus, pines Pinus and spruces Picea. Clearings left after logging were planted chiefly with pines with a certain admixture of spruce. The old spatial pattern can still be traced in Rudy Wielkie, the area administered by Cistercian monks over several centuries, with the most valuable historic objects: the monastery, palace and surrounding landscape park containing a very rich dendrological (tree) collection, Among other valuable historic buildings and sites, the following should be mentioned: the 13"-century post-Cistercian church, St. Magdalene church and cemetery, the wooden churches in Wileza, Belk, Palowice, and Wielopole, mansions, grana- ries, and the still preserved arrangement of foresters’ and hunting lodges. The complex of fish breeding ponds in Lezczok, situated in the old river bed of the Oder river constitutes yet another valuable remnant of Cistercian operations in the area,ROUTE 2 Katowice — Rudy Wielkie (1) ezczok” nature reserve (2) — The Oder Valley (3) cots, The Citocian Lanscape Compositions in Rudy Wielkie Park| (A oront fab) reserve LEZCZ0K and The Czech Republic ‘Oda River Border MeandersDescription of the route The route goes through urban and industrial areas of Upper Silesian Industrial Region: from Katowice towards south-west via taziska Gérne and Rybnik to Rudy Wielkie. Stop 1: Material heritage of the Cistercians in Rudy Wielkie The Cistercian Abbey in Rudy Wielkie was set up as early as before the Tartar inva- sion of 1241. In the 1250s the Cistercians from Jedrzejéw (the foundation house of this monastic order being in Citeaux, France) came to the present Rudy and began the construction of the church and the monastery. Legend has it that the site for the church and the monastery was chosen by Duke Wtadystaw when he was hunting. He became lost in the woods full of wild beasts and fell asleep at the foot of a great oak. In his dream the castle chaplain from Raciborz, Father Benedict appeared to him and said "God is near those who seek Him". The next day as the duke had waken up, he found his companions. Then he told the story to his wife Euphemia. They both decided that a church should be built at the site and set off to the place where the great oak stood. There the Duchess’s veil was blown away by the wind. The couple decided that God wanted the altar to be built at the site where the veil dropped after a moment. On 21 October 1258 Wiadystaw, the Duke of Opole and Racibérz granted legal and economic privileges to the Cistercians. The monks promoting ideas of humility, obedi- ence and discipline, devoted themselves entirely to work and prayers according to their motto Ora et /abora; they also conducted educational activities, also running a library and a'scriptorium. A special domain of that order was forestry economy. The friars constructed roads which, ran radially to the neighbouring settlements like a cob- web, in accordance with the Augustinian tradition based on a belief in the mathemati- cal beauty arid perfect harmony of nature. Wayside shrines, forester lodges and hunt- ing manors were built to complement the system of Cistercian estates. One of the lasting mementoes left by the Cistercians in the Raciborz area is the gafden complex in Rudy, near the palace there, situated in the western part of the “Cistercian Land- scape Compositions in the Rudy Wielkie” Park. In the period 1822- 1846, a palace garden was set up there, covering some 95 hectares The garden was modeled in the En- glish style with the Ruda River provi- ding the axis for the composition . The Polish name of the river has pro- eee bably derived from the rusty colour There are many very old trees growing in the landscape park in Rudy of its waters, or from the presence Wielkie‘The monastery and the abbot’s palace were disturbed because of their turbulent history. Now the buildings are reconstructed in order to protect the material heritage of the Cistercians of iron ore (ruda in Polish) in the area. The ore was extracted by the Cistercians and used for obtaining iron. Before the final form of the garden complex was established, the waterlog- ged meadows had been drained, causeways built and woods thinned. Then many exotic trees and shrubs were planted. The centuries-old history of the monastery is marked with periods of intensive develop- ment of the Cistercian estate alternating with its decline. On 26 November 1810 the dissolution of the monastic order took place on the basis of an edict issued by Prussian King Frederick Wilhelm lI, as the state budget needed money after the defeat of Prussia in the war with Napoleon. An auction of monastic property was organised in the following year. The most precious books were sent to Wroclaw, some were given out to local parish people, while other books were processed to obtain recycled paper. In 1812 the monas- tery estate was given to Landgraf von Hessen Kassel, who never came to live in Rudy. In 1813-1814 the monastery building housed a military hospital. Ten monks took care of the wounded, but were dismissed after the closure of the hospital. In 1820 Rudy were trans- ferred to Landgraf Wiktor von Hessen-Rotenburg, who died without issue, so in 1834 the estate was transferred to his nephew Wiktor Hohenlohe Waldenburg-Schillingfurst In the mid-19" century, the monastery and the abbot’s palace were thoroughly re- modelled to serve as a magnate residence and an English style park was laid out. Renovation work, especially stuccowork and painting works, carried out mainly in the interiors, continued for many years. “Sueidi9jsI9 jo seveN a4; BuIMoyoyFollowing the traces of Cistercians... The former Cistercian church became the local parish church. The descendants of the HohenloheWaldenburg-Schillingfirst family made Rudy a famous place in Europe (in 1866 and 1910 the king of Prussia, and later the German Emperor Wilhelm II were entertained here during hunting trips). Post-Cistercian buildings were held by the ducal family until Janu- ary 1945, when the Red Army plundered the entire facility and set fire under the building. The outer walls and lower floors of the monastery and the abbot's palace were not signifi- cantly damaged, and a major part of ceilings also survived. In 1947-1950 conservation work in the church was carried out. In 1958-1961 the main body of the building in the western side was provisionally stabilised by re-roofing. After years of interrupted work, historic pres- ervation service began to clear the facility of rubble. In 1975 an administrative reform took place and the Raciborz community was incorporated into the Katowice Voivodship which again caused an interruption in the conservation work. In 1981 certain funds for the saving of the post-Cistercian monument were acquired. Within four years the cellars, chambers and corridors were cleared of rubble; the vaulting of the cellars was renovated and ceiling reinstalled. However, the renovation and structural reinforcement of the historic landmark was insufficient. It gradually fell in ruin, as there was no owner to restore it to its former splendour. This situation continued as late as 1998, when the State Treasury transferred the entire monastery and palace complex to the Gliwice Diocese. Presently work on the recon- struction and renewal of both the monastery and the park is underway. In the future it is destined to serve as a centre of faith, culture and science, for the benefit of the region's residents. Currently itis planned to serve as a facility for the diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of Humility, which will include overnight accommodation, conference rooms and meeting rooms. Research, educational, cultural and ecumenical projects are also envisaged here. Water chestnut Tiapa natans —a strictly protected plant speciesIn its most recent condition, the palace park in Rudy Wielkie has returned partly to natural biocoenotic patterns, The herb layer in the park has many species typically oc- curring in the corresponding layer in deciduous woods. The traces of the ‘old glory’ of the Park can be perceived in the presence of many foreign tree and shrub species, quite alien to the Polish flora, such as: many varieties of rhododendrons Rhododendron catawbiense, eastern red-cedar Thuja occidentalis and oriental red-cedar T- orientalis, Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii, eastern hemlock-spruce Tuga canadensis, and Weymouth pine Pinus strobus. Large open grassy spaces prevail in the landscape com- position, offering open vistas towards remote dominant features of the skyline (Hill of Azaleas, small chapel, gardener's house) and the surrounding landscape. In flowery clearings, there are single trees of various interesting species and forms, e.g. peduncu- late oak Quercus robur (‘Fastigiata’ form), Serbian spruce Picea omorica, Weymouth pine Pinus strobus, and acuminate magnolia Magnolia acuminata. Stop 2: Lezcezok - forest and pond nature reserve tezczok is one of the largest nature reserves in the Silesian province, situated in its south-western part, some 5 km east of the town of Raciborz. It was declared as a reserve on 23 January 1957 in order to protect a species-rich ancient forest, as well as fish ponds, which were established as early as in the Middle Ages by Cistercian monks in the old bed of the Oder river. In the southern part of the reserve, there is another tourist attraction — a historic hunting lodge, built in the 1780s. The area of the reserve is 408.21 hectares, of which 247 hectares are occupied by Common tree frog Hyla arborea ~ one of the reptile speci protected in Poland ““SubIo1aySI9 Jo Sa9e ayy Bulmojjo4ponds, 136 hectares ~ by forests, with meadows, causeways and roads accounting for the remaining land surface. The diversity of habitats reflecting the natural conditions in the Oder river valley, the proximity of the Morawska Gate allowing species to migrate from southern Europe plus the fish-breeding operations maintained for several centuries have combined to contrib- ute to the present abundance of plant and animal wildlife. The local vegetation represents 8 forest and shrub communities, and 43 non-forest com- munities: aquatic, marsh, and meadow. The most important forest communities include: oak-hornbeam wood (Jilio-Carpinetum), with a proportion of small-leaved lime Tilia cordata, elm-ash carr (Ficario-Ulmetum minoris) and black currant-alder wood (Ribeso nigri-Alnetum), Among the non-forest communities, the most noteworthy are aquatic communities, e.g. the associations of water chestnut Jrapa natans and of white waterlily Nymphaea alba. The communities of river banks include reed and rush communities with: bulrush Typha Jatifolia, and lesser bulrush T angustifolia, common reed Phragmites australis and many species of sedges Carex sp. Meadow communities are represented by fresh, moist and tall-herb mead- ows: Arrhenatheretum elatiors, Molinietum caeruleae and Scirpetum sylvatici. The fiora of the reserve has over 500 species of vascular plants, 60 species of crypto- gams and 222 species of fungi. This number includes some 30 legally protected species of vascular plants: 22 species under strict protection, and 8 species under partial protec- tion regime. Floating on the surface of pond waters one strictly protected spe- cies: white waterlily Nymphaea alba, yellow waterlily Nuphar luteum, a floating aquatic fem ~ Salvinia natans, and a plant species which is endangered with extinction in Poland, namely water chestnut /rapa natans. In earlier times, other rare aquatic plants also oc- curred in the area, such as aldrovanda A/drovanda vesiculosa, water-soldier Stratiotes flamsons Alfm ursinum “-sueioieisig jo s80en 343 BuIMO|iOgaloides, and common pondweed Zannichelia pedicellata. In the forest herb layer, there are conspicuous spring geophytes, e.g. snowdrop Galanthus nivalis, alpine squill Scilla bifolia, yellow anemone Anemone ranunculoides, and ramsons Allium ursinum. There is also a very rare orchid species — helleborine Epipactis afbensis, which can definitely be counted among the most unusual floristic attractions of the area, because its station here is one of only eight such stations in Poland. In the reserve, there are magnificent specimens of old trees. One of these is a 400-year old pedunculate oak on a pond causeway, which is one of the three oldest trees in the “Cistercian Landscape Compositions in the Rudy Wielkie” Park. This tree is called King Sobieski's Oak. An additional attraction of the tezczok reserve is the Polish Winged Hussars Alley, along which there are very old oaks and beeches — some of them probably planted by King John Ill Sobieski himself, on his way to relieve a besieged Vienna in the late 17th century. The fauna of the teczok reserve includes several hundred species of invertebrates, 13 species of fish, 11 amphibian species, 4 reptile species, 211 bird and 30 mammalian species. A large proportion of animals living within the Lezczok reserve are regarded, under the criteria of the International Union for the Conserva- tion of Nature (IUCN), either as nearing extinction or vuk nerable to extinction Birds are, by far, the largest group of vertebrates living in the reserve. tezez0k is listed among the bird sanctu- aries in Poland, As the major proportion of the reserve is occupied by ponds, wetland birds and waterfowl spe- cies predominate. Its estimated that the reserve is sec- ond largest bird species concentration recorded in Po- land, second only to the Milickie ponds. During the breed- ing season, the following species may, inter alla, be ob- served in the area: great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus and blacknecked grebe P nigricollis, bitten Botaurus stellaris, \esser bittem /xobrychus minutus, black stork Ciconia nigra, and grey lag goose Anseranser, and ducks: including the ferrugineous duck Aytha nyroca, gadwall Anas strepera, garganey Anas querquedula, shoveler Anas clypeata, rec-crested pochard Netta rufina, pochard Aythya ferina, and tufted duck Aythya fuligula Itis the great diversity of plant and animals species in the tezczok nature reserve which helps position it as one of the most valuable areas in Poland, in terms. of the quality of the wild nature there. Stop 3: The Area of Protected Landsca- pe “The border river Oder meanders” The 8-kilometre long border section of the Oder river meanders, situated between Bohumin (on the Czech bank), Chatupki (on the Polish bank), and the mouth ofthe Olza river, is the last section of the river bed which has retained the characteristics of being shaped by natural processes. The upstream section, above the ‘border meanders’ has been regulated along a ten kilometre long plus stretch flowing through the Ostrava industrial area. The section below the ‘border meanders’ has also been regulated by engineering measures, and the Oder river valley itself has been modified much, due to the construction of the Bukéw polder. The relevant section of the Oder river, preserved in its natural state, represents a unique fragment of dynamic sub-mountain river, meandering and dividing states and that is unrivalled anywhere in Europe. The processes shaping this border section of the Oder river have created extremely rich mosaics of microhabitats (river pools, oxbow lakes, islets, steep bank scarps, mud and silt accumulations), providing refuge to many rare and endangered plant and animal species. This refuge owes its existence to these A meander of the Oder rivernatural river dynamics. In the most recent decades, the variable flows, combined with erosion and sedimentation processes taking place along this section have caused two essential changes in the course of the river bed {the breaking out of the Sunychl mean- der in 1966 and the Bohumin/Chatupki meander in 1997). Due to the fact that this section is a border, plus the possible claims of landowners adjacent to the river, threatened with bankside erosion, a hydrotechnical project was developed to regulate the course of the river. Filling the newly formed river bed, constructing a cataract in the river bed, and even shortening the course of the Oder by constructing an artificial cross-cut across the river meander, were just some of the proposals put forward. However, actions taken by the Worldwide Wildlife Fund: WWF Poland, led to suspension of the deci- sion on starting construction work in this section of the river. Opinions prepared in cooperation with Czech and Polish independent specialists have enabled develop- ment of an alternative concept — a permanent settling of interests of water manage- ment, nature conservation and the borderline. This concept is based on experience gathered in France, Switzerland and Germany, where similar projects are implemented (under the name “Espace de Liberte”). The project initiated by WWF Poland entitled “Protection of natural values of Polish and Czech meanders of the Oder as a model solution for other European watercourses”, will be an implementation of the con- cept of “Space for River”: including, amongst others, purchasing key areas of ripar- ian land to preserve the existing nature of this section of the Oder and riverbed formation processes. Under the project, actions to introduce such provisions into The Reynoutia species belong to the most invasive plants in Poland and thus constitutes 2 real threat to the native plant cover to the left: Riparian habitats of the Oder river are invaded by rH the Asiatic knotweed Reynoutria species ““sueiole3si9 jo Sesesy ay) BUIMO;jO)Polish and Czech ai ent on the state border which prevent regulation of rivers from the route only. At the same time, the area will be available for scientific and educational purpos The main actions aimed at preserving the unique features of the meandering river course of the Oder river on the border si Il include: pu; ing of a part of the land and ens ‘ucational trail and providing acc lowing the natural course of succession of v getation and Monitoring the changes occurring in the vegetation cover during the proc n some ons of the river bank, the natural si In of plant communities is hampered the invs plants of alien origin (chiefly: knot s, Reynoutria (Fallopia) bohemica). One of the objectives of the project will thus be to implement a programme controlling knotweeds. These actions envi help fromthe local population in the active protection measures. Purchasing key-areas of the river bank strip and changing the land use will allow the development of a buffer zone along the river course and support natural processes of river bed development in this section of the Oder river. The planned project will allow for the protection of valuable elements of nature and landscape of this dynamic river. The implementation of the project will provide protection for rare and endangered natural habitats and associated species of plant and animals (particularly kingfisher Alcedo aithis, sand martin Riparia riparia, com- mon sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos, little ringed plover Charadrius dubius, hermit beetle Osmoderma eremita, flat bark beetle Cucujus cinnaberinus, bitterling Rhodeus weather-fish Misgurnus, yellow-bellied toad Bombina bombina, and one species of blues Maculinea, living in marshes and large copper Lycaena dispar — whose protec- tion is recommended, inter alia, under the EU Habitats Directive. The project shall ensure that this area is made available for scientific and educational pur- poses, contributing at the same time to the in- crease in public acceptance for nature conser- vation. This allows a sustainable equilibrium between human needs and those of the natu- ral environment. The draft combined with changes in provisions in the Polish-Czech agree- ment on the route of state borders, a prece- dent in nature conservation along a borderline, can be a model for management of valuable, natural borderline watercourses in other Euro: pean countries The project is intended to be a model for man- agement in trans-boundary waters, in accor- dance with the objectives of the new EU water policy (Water Framework Directive). Develop- ment of a model of cooperation between NGOs, local authorities, local communities, governmen- tal authorities accompanied by dissemination of a model solution for dynamic changes in the ‘bor- der meanders’ of the Oder, can contribute to con- servation of other valuable natural watercourses in Europe. The factis that this section of the Oder is the most important connection point of the Upper Oder for the operation of the ecological corridor of the Oder River. Its preservation is sig: nificant to a considerably longer section of the Oder Valley. There is only one riparian willow and poplar habitat of riparian forest along the 200 Old Oder river bed.A recently developed knotweed control project aims at checking its further invasion along the river kilometre stretch of the Oder Valley. Botanists believe that restoration of this habitat in the ‘border meanders’ will contribute to future further regeneration of this biotope along the Oder's route. Furthermore, commencement of mowing and eradication of knotweeds in the border meandering section will stop further, rapid invasions of this plant along the river route. The project on the state of riparian forests in the meander area indicates specific actions to be taken to regenerate them. The opinion will be presented and forwarded as a recommendation to change the objectives for management, for the Regional Directorate of State Forests and Voivodship Nature Conservator. The project assumes preparation of a plan for a natural trail and its construction. Viewpoints and information boards will be prepared in cooperation with the Silesian University and specialists from the Institute of Flooded Area Ecology (WWF Ger- many}. The Dygacz Green League Foundation will prepare and produce the boards. A leaflet with information on activities in river meanders and a notice about com- mencement of the nature trail will be drafted and issued in cooperation with local authorities in Racibérz and Krzyzanowice. The work on preparation of the natural trail, and an educational package for schools, in the Polish and Czech languages and a draft synopsis of a field class conducted on the borderline section of the Oder river will be developed as a parallel effort. This activity will be carried out by the Green League Foundation with almost ten years experience in implementation of educational actions and issuance of an environmental magazine distributed to schools all over Poland The developed model solution “Space for River" will be presented and discussed in international fora (by the International Commission for the Protection of the Oder River, where the WWF has the official status of observer). Relevant EU scien- tific and research units will receive information on the results of the projects. Car- tographic materials depicting the “Space for River” concept as an optimum solu- tion for European border water courses and the description which will be trans- lated into English, will be sent to decision makers responsible for EU water and environmental policies. Fayta Sierks, Alina Urbise, Andree) Urbisz, Piotr Nieznariski, Dariusz Urbaniak‘The Zatgezariskt Landscape Park ‘The Forests of Upper ‘The Cistercian Landscape ‘Compositions The Beskid Maty Landscape Park doreee ‘Landscape Park the Upper Silesian Industrial Region landscape parks nature reserves ISBN 83-87819-44-1Special characteristics of the Silesian Voivodship regions in focus Culture — Landscape — Wildlife A guide to the field sessions a Q Editors Barbara Tokarska-Guzik, Gabriela Woéniak, Beata Babczynska-Sendek, Edyta Sierka, Andrzej Urbisz Translation Roman Tertil, Krzysztof Brzézka and lan Harman University of Silesia Katowice 2005