Abstract: The stability of slopes and ditch bottoms, as elements of the road, is an important factor in keeping the road drainage system operational. This paper presents the practical application of close−range photogrammetry, GIS analysis on rasters, and geotechnical studies to determine the stability of a sample roadside ditch slope over a three−year period from 2019. The studied object is located in the Limanowa Forest District (Poland, Kostrza Forestry, section 22a), and consists modernized road (in 2019) with open roadside ditches. The formation of natural landslides of the originally very steep slope and deformation of the ditch grade line, including a landslide of the slope, was found. The observed internal friction angles in the soils of the landslide slope are very close to the average values in similar soils. The soil slid into the ditch and raised its bottom by more than 0.60 meters in places, resulting in the loss of patency of the ditch and severely limiting the functioning of this element of road drainage. However, part of the slope remained in its original, very high gradients and did not change its geometry.
Key words: close−range photogrammetry, escarpment plane stability, excavation escarpment, landslide, low altitude drone flight

Abstract: Deciduous forests play a crucial role in preserving forest biodiversity in Central Europe. In Poland, native oak forests – dominated by pedunculate oak Quercus robur and sessile oak Q. petraea – are of significant ecological and economic importance. Since natural forests are rare, managed stands may contribute to biodiversity conservation, provided their ecological characteristics are properly understood. Natural and old−growth forests are characterised by complex vertical stratification, frequent canopy gaps and large amounts of deadwood, which sustain a variety of ecological processes. However, even the oldest managed forests rarely achieve these characteristics. This study investigates how the forest vertical structure, deadwood stock and vascular plant species diversity change along an age gradient in managed oak stands aged between 40 and 180 years. The research was conducted in the Bory Stobrawskie mesoregion in southwestern Poland. Data were collected from 100 plots with a minimum of 50% oak cover. The following structural features were recorded: tree height and diameter (DBH), number of trees, proportion of oak trees, cover of forest layers. Moreover, deadwood objects, i.e. logs, stumps, and fine woody debris were recorded, and all vascular plant species and their cover were inventoried. Statistical analyses, including Spearman’s rank correlation and LOESS smoothing, were performed to determine the relationships between all features, species diversity and stand age. We identified several evident trends in forest structure, i.e. positive correlations between stand height and age, and between average DBH and age, and negative correlation between the number of trees in the high tree layer and stand age. Further results showed that the number of stumps per plot revealed a slight negative correlation with age. Plant species diversity decreased as the forest stands aged, with reductions observed across most forest layers. Most species exhibited declining abundance with age, particularly disturbance−tolerant trees and shrubs, whereas only a few shade−tolerant or competitive species increased in abundance. Minor changes in vertical structure and species diversity suggest that managed old forests may not offer the same level of conservation as old−growth forests. While extending the lifespan of forests and allowing natural tree mortality would probably enhance biodiversity, this is not economically viable when forest management objectives are met efficiently. Nevertheless, given that our present study focuses on only a limited aspect of biodiversity, the importance of old managed forest stands in sustaining biodiversity should not be overlooked.
Key words: community succession, deciduous trees, old−growth attributes, vascular plants

Abstract: The Upper Silesia region, one of the most industrialised and densely populated areas in the country, faces significant challenges in promoting public participation in decision−making and forest management. Katowice, the region’s capital, is a unique case, characterised by high forest cover, reaching approximately 42% of the city’s area. Due to its long industrial history, forests in Upper Silesia are critical for mitigating environmental damage, improving air quality, and maintaining ecological balance. However, misinformation on social media about forestry practices and strict EU legal requirements have led to sporadic tensions between the public and forest authorities, highlighting the need to rebuild public trust. In response to the growing demand for cultural ecosystem services, a pilot programme of ‘social forests’ was launched in Katowice at the beginning of 2024, similar to initiatives in other major urban regions, indicating a need for a deeper understanding of residents’ expectations. This pilot study aimed to investigate the influence of various socio−economic factors and attitudes on participation in forest management within the industrial region of Katowice. To this end, a pilot survey was conducted among 82 participants, using online and snowball sampling methods. The questionnaire assessed demographics, attitudes towards forests, awareness of ecosystem services, willingness to participate, and level of trust. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was acceptable, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.806. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Chi−square tests, multinomial logistic regression, and decision tree analysis, allowing for a deeper exploration of the relationships. The results reveal a strong dominance of recreational and health motivations: 85% of respondents visit forests for relaxation, health, and fresh air, and 71.9% to escape urban pollution. These motivations are strongly associated with a greater willingness to participate in nature conservation, unlike visits driven by cultural or heritage reasons. Despite this, 72% of respondents were not interested in participating in forest programmes, and over 80% were opposed to financially supporting conservation efforts. The level of education proved to be the most important predictor of involvement; individuals with higher academic qualifications (e.g., Master’s or scientific degrees) were more likely to participate. Income level did not have a statistically significant relationship with the willingness to financially support forest activities (p=0.997). Moreover, a one−unit increase in ecological awareness increased the probability of involvement in forest conservation by 1.8 times, confirming the importance of education. Regarding information sources, 70% of respondents obtained knowledge from social media or friends, even though official channels were considered the most reliable (46%). A low level of trust in institutions also persists; for example, 30.5% strongly disagreed that payment systems were transparent. The findings suggest that forest policy aimed at increasing participation should focus on raising public awareness, providing non−financial incentives (e.g., volunteering), and improving transparency and public trust in institutions responsible for the state of forests. These insights are particularly relevant for urban and post−industrial areas like Katowice, where maintaining clean and well−managed green spaces is crucial for encouraging pro−environmental behaviour.
Key words: barriers to participation, ecosystem services, institutional mistrust, social forests, social networks, urban areas, willingness to participate

Abstract: Ecotourism activities, which emerged as a reaction to mass tourism, have enabled the development of ecotourism practices towards forest areas and their surroundings, as they aim to benefit rural local people on the one hand, and to protect resources on the other. This study aims to create SWOT analyses and R’WOT analyses that will reflect the opinions of forest engineers working in forest management directorates on the subject of ecotourism practices to be realized in and around the forest area under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Forestry. R’WOT technique, a hybrid technique that combines SWOT and multi−criteria decision−making techniques, was used in the research. Focus group interviews with forest engineers were utilized in the creation of SWOT factors. Semi−structured questionnaires were used in these face−to−face interviews, and the factors in the ‘SWOT Information Forms’ were asked to score the priority value themselves through survey applications. After evaluating all of the factors obtained, a draft action plan (short−medium−long term) was created. As a result of the study, forest management chiefs, forest regional branch managers, forest management engineers, and all forest engineers prioritized the ‘Strengths’ factors in the SWOT analysis. Forest management managers, on the other hand, prioritized the ‘Opportunities’ factors.
Key words: ecotourism, Karabük, forest area, forest engineer, SWOT analysis, R’WOT technique

Abstract: Tree diameter distribution models represent useful tools for predicting stand growth under various environmental conditions. In this context, the Weibull probability density function is widely used in forestry due to its flexibility. In this study, this probability density function was applied to analyse the pedunculate oak Quercus robur stand structure in different forest types. The Weibull function demonstrated a high ability to fit well the empirical distribution of oak tree diameters in all studied stands. The analysis revealed either moderate variability or relative homogeneity in the stand structure, depending on the forest type. In the pedunculate oak forests with cherry Prunus avium in the northern region and those with blackthorn P. spinosa in the southern region, developed on dry soils, the parameters b and c of the Weibull function indicated moderate variability in stem diameters. In contrast, the pedunculate oak forests with hornbeam Carpinus betulus, developed on fresh soils, exhibited a more homogeneous structure. To evaluate the relationship between the b and c parameters of the Weibull function and dendrometric indices (AMD, Hmax, QMD, and Dmax), reciprocal−y square root−x and multiplicative regression models were used. The results emphasized the superiority of the multiplicative model in describing the relationships between the c parameter and dendrometric indices, compared to the reciprocal−y square root−x model, which showed modest performance for the b parameter, according to the R² coefficient.
Key words: dendrometric indices, forest types, Quercus robur, soil moisture, stand structure, tree diameter, Weibull function parameters

Abstract: The aim of the article is to provide an overview (thematic and quantitative) of the articles on forest utilization that appeared in Sylwan. The journal’s 200−year timespan is comprised of three subperiods: the ‘Warsaw period’ (1820−1858), the ‘Lviv period’ (1883−1939) and the ‘modern’ period (1947−2024). In addition, the last, and the longest period is divided into 9 smaller subperiods, each of which covers 10 years, the division enables a more precise overview and scrutiny. Each article is classified to one of four thematic categories: harvesting and transporting wood, wood science, non−wood forest products use and economic issues connected with forest utilization. Due to the limited length of the article, the list of all publications which were classified as forest utilization was not included. The material for the analysis comes from two internet databases: the database of the Polish Forest Society and the AGRO database. In addition, the resources of the library of the Institute of Dendrology in Kórnik, as well as private resources and collections were also used. As a result of the preliminary research, 1,284 articles which are closely related to the broad topic of forest utilization were identified. In the first period which was analysed (1820−1858), 48 articles discussed forest utilization (10.4% of all articles), in the second period (1883−1939) there were 199 articles (4.2%) and in the third one there were 1037 articles (11.0%). In the first period, the articles about harvesting and transporting wood consisted about 35.4% of all articles about forest utilization; in the second period it was 65.8% and in the third one 42.6%. The share of papers that dealt with wood science reached 27.1% in the first period, 15.6% in the second, and 32.9% in the third. In the case of the articles’ respective shares regarding non−wood forest products use it was 37.5% in the first period, 17.1% in the second, and 16.3% in the third. As far as the economic issues connected with forest utilization are concerned, in the first analysed period there was not a single article of such a type, in the second period it was 1.5% and in the third period 8.2%. On the basis of the conducted overview, it is possible to conclude that the interest of each particular category varied in over 200−year−long history of Sylwan journal.
Key words: forest academic journals, history of forestry, non−wood forest products use, timber harvesting, wood science