Monument trees in the area of health resorts in Poland

The research was undertaken due to the lack of synthetic studies and collections concerning monumental trees in the spa towns in Poland. We investigated all 45 towns with such a status. The article presents the numerical and species data of the nature monument trees. For individual species, the average breast height diameter is also given. A database of nature monuments was created (separately for coniferous and deciduous trees), covering over 90% of monumental trees that are located in all spa towns in Poland. Data for the study were obtained mainly from spas and spatial conditions and directions of communes and from the Central Register of Nature Conservation Forms as well as the General as well as regional directorates of Environmental Protection. In addition, field observations were made in selected spa towns. There were over 1507 monument trees in Polish health resorts. They represented 26 coniferous species (including Larix decidua, Taxus baccata) and 50 deciduous species with different varieties (including Tilia cordata, Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur). Followig spas were the towns with the highest number of monumental tree (over 50): Nałęczów, Kołobrzeg, Szczawno−Zdrój, Szczawnica, Cieplice, Kamień Pomorski, Jedlina−Zdrój, and Konstancin−Jeziorna. Constant monitoring and field inventory of missing monument trees in health resorts in Poland is recommended. Periodic inventory of monumental trees should lead to the desired quantitative and qualitative structure of trees and to protect further valuable specimens from the natural and social point of view. Trees growing in the spa towns perform a number of functions, including particularly important health care. Places with monumental tree species gain in value and therefore it is necessary to protect them and to continue research, one of which is presented in this article