Malopolska apple collection in Arboretum Bolestraszyce - conservation of nature heritage

Prace nad gromadzeniem kolekcji w Arboretum rozpoczęto w latach 1986-1990, w ramach Centralnego Programu Badań Podstawowych PAN, którego celem było utworzenie narodowej kolekcji zagrożonych gatunków ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem gatunków dzikich i form wyjściowych drzew i krzewów owocowych. Z ginących starych sadów włościańskich i dworskich w Małopolsce zebrano i posadzono drzewa jabłoni w Sadzie Pomologicznych o powierzchni 11,8 ha. W Arboretum rośnie ogółem 2 370 jabłoni, w tym 970 drzew w Bolestraszycach 800 drzew w Cisowej. Najstarsze piętnastoletnie drzewa rosnące w Bolestraszycach w liczbie 550 - już od kilku lat owocują, młodsze siedmioletnie (420) wchodzą w okres owocowania. W szkółkach znajduje się 600 jabłoni okulizowanych w 2002 r. Po 1990 r. Małopolska Kolekcja Jabłoni w Bolestraszycach zarówno pod względem liczebności, jak też areału została wielokrotnie powiększana. W tym okresie obszar badań i zbiór materiału genetycznego został poszerzony nie tylko o nowe tereny w Polsce południowo-wschodniej, ale także o kraje ościenne - Słowację i Ukrainę. Zgromadzone jabłonie posiadają nie tylko znaczenie utylitarne; podwyższoną odporność na przemarzanie (przetrwały przynajmniej trzy mroźne zimy XX w.), odporność na choroby i długowieczność. Są również ważnym edukacyjnym obszarem - dziedzictwa przyrody i kultury Polski. Arboretum odwiedza rocznie ponad 50 tys. osób.Gathering the collection in Arboretum started in the years 1986-1990 within the frame of the Central Research Program of Polish Academy of Science. The aim of this program was to establish national collection of endangered species mainly wild species and initial forms of fruit trees and fruit shrubs. The source of collected accessions were old disappearing orchards. Collected materials were planted in Pomological Orchard on 11.8 ha area. In Bolestraszyce Arboretum the total of 2370 of apple trees are grown. The collection is located in two places: in Bolestraszyce - 970 and in Cisowa - 800 trees. This collection include the oldest (15 years old) 550 trees bearing fruits sor a few years, and 420 younger trees (7 years old), which just start fruit. In nursery there are 600 apple trees grafted in 2002. Since 1990 Małopolska Apple Collection in Bolestraszyce is successively enlarged. The collection is enriched by new accessions originated from East-Southern part of Poland and also from neighboring countries such as Slovakia and Ukraine. The accessions maintained in collection are characterized by higher resistance to frost (survived at least three severe winters in the 20th century), by higher resistance to diseases and ther are long-lived. The collection is an important education area, as the protection of the nature heritage and culture of Poland. Each year Arboretum and the collection are visited by more than 50 000 visitors

Boleslaw Orzechowicz (1847-1927), the first president of the Polish Dendrology Society

Bolesław Orzechowicz (1847-1927), the first president of the Polish Dendrology Society between 1925 and 1927, was an extraordinarily generous patron of the arts and scientific societies in Lvov. In 1914, just before the outbreak of the World War I, he donated half a million crowns to the Society for the Promotion of Polish Science in Lvov. In 1916, influenced by the most eminent group of friends and scholars in Lvov, those funds were moved to the Scientific Society in Lvov. It was a strictly academic organisation, made up only of scholars. In 1927, he donated Kalników, his family estate (1749 morgs) to the Society as well as countless other investments. Apart from this patronage, he had unique organisational energy and a collection of scientific artifacts and works of art were donated by Orzechowicz to the King Jan III National Museum. His generosity led to him being honoured as the first president of the Polish Dendrology Society. During his short presidency the Society was highly organised with a sound statute. The profile of research and main aims of the Society paved the way for the Society’s activities for many decades to come. The circle of illustrious naturalists within the Society’s board included: Piotr Hoser, Stefan Makowiecki, Stanisław Sokołowski, Władysław Szafer, Szymon Wierdak, Antoni Wróblewski. In this article I have presented in greater detail a biography of B. Orzechowicz, his foundations and activities in support of scientific societies in Lvov

Polesie Wołyńskie - główne źródło pocchodzenia różanecznika żółtego (Rhododendron luteum Sweet) w ogrodach i parkach Europy

Natural range of the Yellow Azalea Rhododendron luteum Sweet (Azalea pontica L.) includes the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Volhynia and SE rim of the Alps (Slovenia). There is also a natural locality of this species in Poland, in Wola Zarczycka near Leżajsk. The plant was discovered in 1795 in Volhynian Polesia by an eminent gardener Dionizy Mikler, and its popularity grew thanks to the Botanic Garden affiliated by the Krzemieniec College. Already at the first half of the 19th century Yellow Rhododendron, originating from Volhynian Polesia, was in cultivation in most of European Botanic Gardens. Nowadays this species can be easily found even in small private gardens. It has also been planted in forests. In Volhynian Polesia it grows abundantly in continental mesotrophic oak-pine mixed forests (Querco roboris-Pinetum), sometimes covering 100% of the shrub layer. Its is equally common in continental swamp pine forests (Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum). The soils where the species grow are always moist and very acidic (pH below 4). In Volhynia plant communities with R. luteum cover over 1.5 billion ha. In Ukraine the plant is not protected by law