Current and potential landscape functions of areas with the remnants of World War II bombing in the Koźle Basin, southern Poland

Abstract Wars bring civilisation and environmental disasters. In the forests wetlands of Koźle Basin (southern Poland), clusters bomb craters remain, which are associated with air campaign conducted by USAAF to disable Third Reich’s fuel facilities. They among most spectacular in Europe today. There nearly 6,000 large a diameter 7-15 meters smaller ones from fall unexploded ordnance. These areas, their characteristic scarred relief, currently pose difficulties terms economic use. The depressions left after bombs fell, naturally became small sedimentation basins niches that were taken over nature. Landscape nature mapping surveyed altered bombing, conjunction historical data, suggest they require protection form two landscape-nature protected complexes (a landscape Poland). can serve as education zones, wildlife sanctuaries, well areas for introduction reintroduction species. This is important region where hundreds years agricultural dominance, decades intensive industrial development urban settlement, have caused major changes natural environment degradation its structures. Similar sites, trails cultural parks dedicated war campaigns been introduced different European countries.