the cistercian landscape compositions of rudy wielkie

Waga, J. (2001). The Cistercian landscape compositions of Rudy Wielkie- the idea of balance between expoloatation and protection of the forest.
In D. Kereković, E. Nowak (ed.). GIS Polonia 2001.
Hrvatski Informaticki Zbor- Gis Forum, Croatia,159-161.
THE CISTERCIAN LANDSCAPE COMPOSITIONS OF RUDY WIELKIE
–THE IDEA OF BALANCE BETWEEN EXPLOITATION
AND PROTECTION OF FOREST
Jan Maciej WAGA
University of Silesia
Faculty of Earth Sciences
Department of Physical Geography
Sosnowiec
ABSTRACT
In the Landscape Park “Cistercian Landscape Compositions of Rudy Wielkie” there are two
forest-landscape structures which were created by Cistercians. First of them was connected with the
monastery foundation in Woszczyce started in 1238, second was connected with the monastery of
Rudy started in 1253/1258. Finally the monastery of Rudy administrated both of the forest territories.
Forestry was a special branch of the Cistercian economic activity in Rudy. At first forests functioned
as the main source of the Cistercian maintenance there.
After the liquidation of the monastery, the possessions of Rudy were divided into two large
parts and passed over to the Hessian Landgraf Prince Hohenlohe - Waldenburg – Schillingsfürst, and
Thiele - Winckler family. New owners divided forest into a few functional areas, arranging among
others the hunting grounds for the meetings of high society.
After II World War forests became the area of intensive exploitation for the industry. But the
foresters took special care of large, old trees and preserved the oldest wood parts from damage.
Nowadays the foresters in Rudy are continuators of hunting tradition.
The Rudy Raciborskie Forest Inspectorate as first in Poland have organised the least Firefighting System and have made use of new biotechnology in the forest cultivation.
The Cistercian Landscape Compositions of Rudy Wielkie heritage have been slowly changing.
GIS methods are one of the solutions for registering and describing these changes.
The Cultural Landscape as a Solution to Survive
In the Landscape Park “Cistercian Landscape Compositions of Rudy Wielkie” (fig. 1) there
are two forest-landscape structures which were created by Cistercian. First of them was connected
with the monastery foundation in Woszczyce started in 1238, second was connected with the
monastery of Rudy started in 1253/1258 (Rybandt, 1977, Sufryd, Winiewski, without date ).Finally the
monastery of Rudy administrated both of the forest territories. Forestry was a special branch of the
Cistercian economic activity in Rudy. At first forests functioned as the main source of the Cistercian
maintenance there. The forests located by the Ruda river and it’s tributaries, for a long time had a
virgin character. Earlier these areas were exploited weakly and were treated like as emptiness. The
facts, which decided were as follows:

 poor soils,
 occurrence of surface waters in many places.
Waga, J. (2001). The Cistercian landscape compositions of Rudy Wielkie- the idea of balance between expoloatation and protection of the forest.
In D. Kereković, E. Nowak (ed.). GIS Polonia 2001.
Hrvatski Informaticki Zbor- Gis Forum, Croatia,159-161.
The possessors of that area – Opole`s dukes, for a long time made efforts to activate economy
of these areas. Quickly, it appeared that only Cistercians had a satisfactory knowledge necessary to
perform the task. However, the monks estimated that the expenditure of power needed to clear the
forest and build a melioration-system would not be recompensed by profits attained of agriculture.
Therefore, they accommodated model of economic activity to local environment conditions. In the
first stage they used forest and surface waters resources. The Cistercians run: traditional tasks –
hunting farming, production of pitch and wood coal; set up ponds and bred fish. They also exploited
and recasted the iron ores. The agricultural produces have been gained above all at other areas, for
example at plateau of Głubczyce. By the Ruda river Cistercians pastured cattle and swine.
In the next stages, together with growth of production, they intensively started to gain wood
for coal burning (Szabla, 1994). Self-renewal of forest was probably supported by artificial planting
local species.
After the liquidation of the monastery, the possessions of Rudy were divided into two large
parts and passed over to the Hessian Landgraf Prince Hohenlohe – Waldenburg - Schillingsfürst, and
Thiele – Wincler family. New owners divided forest into a few functional areas, arranging among
others the hunting grounds for the meetings of high society.
The species of coniferous trees - more useful in mining - were introduced on the large areas of
the forest (Szabla, 1994). The pines and the firs were planted universally. Metallurgy was displayed in
the region of Woszczyce and Palowice. Many of mid-forest settlements stood up.
The inevitable process of forest degradation was prevented by introduction to industry
production use of black coal and coke. Fall of industrial mid-forest settlements was caused by
exhaustion of iron ore deposits and high cost of stock transport. Original, forestry landscape quickly
was returned owing to rich in surface water environment.
In the region of Rudy Racibórz duke`s family paid attention to aesthetic forming forestry
space. Among others, on the grounds of post-Cistercian road system, they created compact landscape
composition. They got up some English Parks and the vast zoological garden, multi-kilometres midforestry alleys, the mosaic of ranges, the system of cottages and hunting position. The Rudy –
Kędzierzyn forests was known for rich hunting traditions.
After II World War forests became the area of intensive exploitation for the industry. But the
foresters took special care of large, old trees and preserved the oldest wood parts from damage.
Among numerous examples one should mention: the forestry complex “Głębokie Doły” (1), the
“Łężczok” reserve (2), the pine old- tree complex near Kuźnia Raciborska (3) (fig. 2). So after ages as
well as at the present forests of Ruda constituted an element of important ecological bridge running
between the valleys the Oder and Vistula (fig. 3) (Waga, 1995).
Nowadays the foresters in Rudy are continuators of hunting tradition. Some symbolic places
connected with hunting tradition were restored. The Hunting Association and musical signalman team
were acted. New solution and technologies are also used in manage of the forest. It leads to forest
renovation towards to model of mixed forest – at it was in Cistercian’s activity time. Many of present
problems did not exist in these ages, for example a universal fire threat. That was a reason on the site
Waga, J. (2001). The Cistercian landscape compositions of Rudy Wielkie- the idea of balance between expoloatation and protection of the forest.
In D. Kereković, E. Nowak (ed.). GIS Polonia 2001.
Hrvatski Informaticki Zbor- Gis Forum, Croatia,159-161.
of forest fire from 1992, which forced to create a special fire-fighting belts and fire-extinguishing
aviation (Fidyk and others, without date).
The Rudy Raciborskie Forest Inspectorate as first in Poland have organised the least Fire –
fighting System and have made use of new biotechnology in the forest cultivation.
The Cistercian Landscape Compositons of Rudy Wielkie heritage have been slowly changing.
GIS methods are one of the solution for registering and describing these changes (fig. 4) (Nita, Waga,
1997).
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