RETARDATION OF AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE RESOURCES AND BIODIVERSITY TRANSFORMATION ON EXAMPLE OF PODLASKIE PROVINCE

The area of Polish landscape is very diverse in land structure and landscape, with predominance of agricultural landscapes. Agricultural landscape is characterized by intensive land development for the needs of agricultural production and a significant share of seminatural elements. In many rural areas agro-ecosystem are characterized by the dominance of monoculture in crops. Farms of breeding pigs and cattle are present in western part of Polish landscape. Along with economic benefits – the dynamic development of conventional agriculture causes, however, changes in the environment. Establishes of EU Common Agricultural Policy and the Rural Development Programmes (RDP) aimed at slowing down (retardation) adverse changes in rural areas environment. Retardation provides a basis for soil and water environment protection against the ongoing degradation and biodiversity protection at different levels. It supports also adopted in 2011 by the European Commission Strategy for Biological Diversity “Greening the crop” and detailed package of rural-environment-climate programs and promotion of biodiversity keeping in areas with high natural values. The paper presents actions in landscape and biodiversity protection.