Indicator-Based Assessment for Soil Resource Management in the Wrocław Larger Urban Zone of Poland

Abstract

This article presents a discussion about the issue of soil resource management in the context of sustainable development. These resources are one of the basic resources on Earth, conditioning the sustainable development of present and future generations by providing the capacity for food production. The study contains an indicator-based assessment of changes in available soil resources as a result of progressive urbanization processes in the suburban area of a big city. The case study was the Wrocław Larger Urban Zone in Poland. The applied methodology allowed for the valorization of urban sprawl processes on agricultural land. As a result, municipalities were divided into groups that characterize different suburbanization processes and their impact on the available soil resources. By using the proposed approach, it is possible to support the spatial development management process in order to protect the valuable components of the environment. The results of the research show that 29 rural precincts located around Wrocław have a high soil transition index (W≥50), which proves their inefficient agricultural management system on a regional scale. The study is an attempt to answer a question on the practical implementation of sustainable development goals that were included in Agenda 2030.

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