The Scarecrow as Part of Polish Rural Cultural Landscapes

Abstract

Diverse historical, cultural landscapes can be found in many parts of the world, and also in rural areas. They are a challenge for interdisciplinary research. One of the gradually disappearing components of rural cultural landscapes in Poland is the scarecrow. The objective of this paper was to analyse the role of the scarecrow in the Polish rural cultural landscape today. The field research was aimed at determining whether the scarecrow can be seen in Polish rural areas, and if yes, what the circumstances and its forms are. A site visit yielded copious photographic records of rural areas. The investigated area was selected following a literature analysis and analysis of environmental and economic conditions on the regional level in Poland. The visit demonstrated that although scarecrows are part of the cultural landscape of the Polish countryside, they are slightly more modest in their appearance than in the past. Scarecrows are placed in small, family-owned agricultural holdings that have time to uphold local traditions.

Agricultural Citizen Science and Sustainable Regional Development

“…Agriculture plays a vital role in today' s society from an economic point of view (i.e., through farmer's income, shaping landscapes through land use, etc.) [1, 3,4] whereby it contributes to an integrated development in a regional rural economy, through interconnections with other sectors of economic activity [5][6][7][8] and by reducing poverty levels [3]. The impact of agriculture on the socio-cultural aspects is also recognized-i.e., the influence of farming practices on the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the area and their local culture [1, 7,9,10].…”