Author(s)

M. Hełdak & B. Raszka

Abstract

This paper undertakes the subject of ecosystem services used in evaluating the relations between the environment and humans, also in the area of spatial policy and environmental development. The studied areas were selected according to the services which are provided. There are those which have to do with giving something (Latin dare), doing something (facere), not doing something (non facere) or enduring something (pati). During the course of study, the types of ecosystem services in the environmentally protected communes localised in the vicinity of Wrocław (Mietków, Kąty Wrocławskie, Sobótka, Jordanów) were defined in the following categories: ecosystem services for the benefit of humans, human services for the benefit of the ecosystem (compensation), as well as preventive and retardant actions. The research involved an analysis of the planning documents defining spatial policy with regard to ecosystem services, followed by a statistical analysis of the results. Keywords: ecosystem services, spatial policy. 1 Introduction Numerous research disciplines study the use of environmental resources by humans. The ecosystem services theory can also be applied in the planning of the spatial development in the area of spatial economy, which is currently considered an element of social sciences related to economy in Poland. It is also an aspect of environmental and technical sciences. In its complexity, spatial economy binds ecology with economy. According to Solon [1], the concept of ecosystem services is one of the tools for discussing the subject of relations between society and nature. It enables one

Keywords

ecosystem services, spatial policy.