Summary:

The aim of the paper is to illustrate the results of the long-term research performed on swamp areas of the Forest Promotional Complex (FPC) “Lasy Rychtalskie”. The research project comprehended hydrological, chemical and geotechnical field studies performed on forest swamp areas to assess current state conditions of forest management and forest ecosystems, predict changes and identify the threats to ecosystem stability. The Forest Promotion Complexes are a functional areas in peculiarities about to ecological meaning, educational and social. The own name FPC “Lasy Rychtalskie” is accepted from a situated forests on precinct Rychtal of Forest Inspectorate Syców. This forests of precinct are celebrated from ekotype ordinary pine, about unrepeatable genetic values, confirmed in scientific investigations. The study covered forest swamp areas of the FPC “Lasy Rychtalskie”. To detailed investigations are selected three experimental areas, microcatchments and 6 transects transverse to forest roads situated or in frames above mentioned areas or in their immediate nearness. Chosen microcatchments are situated, that lie in wholes on marshland areas. On experimental areas are installed 51 of wells to measurements of ground water levels and 3 Thomson overflows on rivers. From all of bore-holes were received samples of soils to standard researches in laboratory – mechanical, physical, chemical and water properties. The area has high retention potential. Surface outflow is relatively low ca 4% of annual precipitation and occurs in the winter half-year extending into May. The study justifies the conclusion that the linear reservoir model returns the adequate outcome of runoff simulation for catchments located in forest swamp areas. The groundwater level is shallow in investigated sites at ca1m b.g.s. The prognosis of groundwater level changes expressed by groundwater level dynamics was created on the basis of negative annual rainfall trend. The projection was calculated on assumption that significant changes in forest swamp ecosystems would occur provided that average groundwater depth level decrease by 50% of the actual groundwater level depth. The reduction of groundwater level depth as the outcome of this scenario can be expected in 100-year period. The reasonable water management preventive measures against negative effects of hydrological processes stimulating groundwater level depth decrease on forest swamp ecosystems is stopping of the outflow from the area. The study included a task of developing and implementation easy-to-use method of potential water storage assessment for forest areas. The method bases on utilization of data stored in databases typically prepared for the forest inventory purposes. The chemical analysis of investigated sites of FPC “Lasy Rychtalskie” as far as surface and groundwater is concerned has not returned the results justifying the conclusion that the concentration of pollutant compounds is higher than the natural concentration of these compounds. The dirt roads located on swampy soils through entire annual period did not meet the bearing strength standards required for the forest communication network. The bearing strength of paved roads depended on local dynamics of groundwater level.