Changes in annual tree ring width (TRW) and its size depends not only on the changing climate and natural stress factors such as extreme air temperatures, shortages in rainfall and excess rainfall during the growing season, but also on anthropogenic stress, including chemical compounds emitted to the atmosphere or lowering of the groundwater table caused by the operations of plants with high environmental impact. The purpose of this article is to assess the impact of meteorological conditions and anthropogenic factors on the size of annual growth of Scots pine tree-stands in the conditions of the climate of central-eastern Poland. On the basis of five created site chronologies in the vicinity of Zakłady Azotowe Puławy (nitrogen factories in Puławy) and using the moving correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis, a significant influence of temperature and precipitation conditions on the TRW size is proved. A significant, positive influence of air temperature on TRW was proved for the majority of chronologies created in the period of January–March, as well as in June, while it remained negative in May. The wide rings of Scots pines were formed when the precipitation of October and January (prior to the resumption of cambium activity) was lower than the average, and higher in April and in June–August. After including the anthropopressure factors in the regression equations, the description of the variability of the annual tree ring width was corrected. The coefficient of determination ranged from approx. 29% to even above 45% and was higher, on average by 10%, for all studied chronologies of Scots pine compared to the one calculated for constructed equations considering only meteorological conditions. The strength and direction of the impact of the independent variables (SO2, NH3, NOx) analysed on TRW mainly depended on the distance from the plants, as well as on the direction of inflow of industrial pollution to the stands examined. In light of the proven climate changes in central and eastern Poland, the growth conditions of pine stands will most likely deteriorate.

Social distancing and movement restrictions associated with COVID-19 have highlighted the role played by easily accessible greenery at one’s own residence, which is of key importance to people’s physical and psychological wellbeing. The main focus of this study is to provide insights into residential green areas in Wrocław, Poland in terms of knowledge, investment, trends and associated issues, as examined from the perspective of the potential to boost urban resilience. Sixty-six representative multi-family construction projects typical of Central European cities were analyzed. The study is divided into three stages: I—pre-construction (selection of locations), II—construction of a housing estate (clearance of vegetation, number of trees planted, use of pro-ecological solutions), and III—post-construction (monitoring of the condition of green areas by means of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and data from Sentinel-2 satellites). The results highlighted the insufficient use of pro-ecological solutions (green roofs, fountains or ponds) and shortage of woody plants in residential green areas. Their implementation should be included in any strategies for Wrocław’s transformation toward a sustainable post-pandemic city. Furthermore, the main findings of the study also revealed an imbalance between the amount of vegetation cleared vs. vegetation planted during construction and unequal access to high-quality greenery for local residents. Although some positive trends in spatial planning were observed compared to previous studies, two construction projects were implemented in floodplains. NDVI analyses indicate the poor condition of residential green areas; moreover, the change in NDVI for the period 2015–2020 attests to the poor standards of vegetation maintenance. The results of this study suggest that the potential of residential green areas for boosting urban resilience has not been fully utilized in Wrocław. It is highly recommended to implement monitoring of the condition of green areas by means of NDVI and to introduce detailed provisions on the shaping of green estate areas in the Local Development Plans to enhance Wrocław’s resilience. The main findings being presented expand the directions of methods of monitoring residential areas’ conditions in terms of applied landscape research and boosting urban resilience.

This research investigates the long-term environmental impact and historical temporal pollution patterns caused by a former copper mine in Iwiny (south-western Poland) using a dendrochemical approach. An additional aspect of this research was considering the possibility of using the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) measurement technique as a cheaper alternative to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in dendrochemical analyses conducted in copper mining areas. In the study area, a tailings storage facility (TSF) dam failure (1967) took place and the alkaline flotation waste containing high concentration of Cu and Pb are stored. Tree cores from pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) were analysed for the content of 11 trace elements (TEs) (Cd, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cr, Co, Pb, Cu, Fe, Al, Ag) using the ICP-OES technique, while tree rings’ widths (TRWs) were also measured. Samples that were most significant in the context of the research goals were verified with the ICP-MS method. The results revealed the strong long-term impact of the copper industry as reflected in a substantial increase in the mean contents of: (1) Mn, Ni, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu and Fe in industrial vs. control trees, (2) TRWs for control vs. industrial trees. However, the observed patterns of TEs and TRWs did not correspond to the known timing of pollution inputs (mining activity, tailings spill). Peak levels were observed for Zn and Fe after the mine was closed. The lack of new sources of pollution and the temporal relationship strongly suggests that the tree rings recorded the chemical signal of the TSF reclamation (the use of fertilizers and agrotechnical interventions). Patterns of 7 elements were detected in most of the samples by ICP-OES (Co and Cd were not detected, Al and Ag were partly detected), while ICP-MS detected all of the elements. Significant differences were obtained for Ag, Cd, and Co. Despite challenges with the application of dendrochemistry in research on old mining areas (e.g., lack of old trees), it has proved to be a useful tool for investigating the aggregate environmental impact.

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