Using GIS Methods to Investigate Urban Parks within Industrial Regions

The aim of our paper is to identify the main trends in changes in land use of select urban parks in Sosnowiec and Bedzin towns during 1927-2009 in light of changes to the urban areas. Research included two urban parks: Sielecki in Sosnowiec and Gora Zamkowa in Bedzin. The analysis was based on old maps (from 1927, 1960s/70s, and 1990s) and the latest available orthophotomaps of the study area (2009). The results obtained on the basis of geographical information systems (GIS) shows significant differences, both in terms of spatial and quality changes in the land use in all urban parks, conditioned by their location in the different types of landscapes. The identified changes are linked to the wider range of functions taken over by parks, and also of changes in urban planning strategies. The GIS methods were helpful in interpretation of identified changes. Increasing forest areas is observed in the last research period and has a connection with the flora of both parks. The role of urban parks is particularly noticeable in strongly urbanized and industrialized areas in the urban-industrial agglomeration and conurbation. The urban parks in these areas are an interesting problem in terms of geographical, botanical, and landscape ecology research. The documentation, monitoring, and protection of the oldest and the most valuable parts of the urban parks (urban forests) are important in light of the fact that urban parks are linked with local history.