IGSO PAS > Department of Geoenvironmental Research

Department of Geoenvironmental Research

About Department

The Department of Geoenvironmental Research was established on 15th November 1953, initially as a Laboratory of Geomorphology and Hydrology. Prof. Mieczysław Klimaszewski was appointed its organizer and first head. The basic task of the Department was to carry out a detailed hydrological and geomorphological mapping for areas of south Poland – among the first research fellows cooperating in that field were  Leszek Starkel, Krystyna Wit-Jóźwik, Sylwia Gilewska and others. In 1955 Tadeusz Gerlach initiated the first studies on the contemporary slope processes. In 1968 Leszek Starkel became the head of the Department. In the 70s of the 20th century physico-geographical  research studies (with site investigation) were carried out in Mongolia under the leadership of Kazimierz Klimek, and later since 1984 that type of research studies have been conducted in India. In the 80s of the last century the Department was in charge of the central research programme “Transformations in geographical environment of Poland”. From 2001 to 2008 the head of the Department was Prof. Adam Kotarba, and from 2008 to 2022 Prof. Zofia Rączkowska. Since 2023, the head of the Department is Prof. Łukasz Wiejaczka. The Department of Geoenvironmental Research has its field research stations located at: Szymbark near Gorlice, Frycowa near Nowy Sącz and Hala Gąsienicowa in the Tatras.

Research profile

The following are the research topics pursued by the Department of Geoenvironmental Research:

 

Application research studies deal with the following issues: assessment of land relief and water resources with a view to rational farming, impact of agricultural activity in the mountains on natural environment, keeping records of geomorphological and economic effects of extreme hydro-meteorological events, drawing up maps of earthslides and hazardous areas, assessment of mass wasting hazard, hydro-morphological evaluation of streams by means of RHS (River Habitat Survey).

Location