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PROBLEMS OF GEOMORPHOLOGICAL MAPPING Geographical Studłes No. 46, Warszawa 1963

JAN SZCZEPKOWSKI Bydgoszcz

AN APPRAISEMENT OF USEFULNESS OF ‘THE GEOMORPHOLOGICAL MAP OF THE POLISH LOWLAND’ FOR REGIONAL PLANNING AND SPACE ECONOMY

Although systematic geomorphological mapping of the Polish low-lands has been carried out sińce 1950 — the results of this work are not yet commonly known; in certain economical planning circles at least. First printed copies of the map discussed, concerning the area of Bydgoszcz province (voivodship), appeared just in 1958 and till now only an insignificant part of this province has been covered by separate sheets. It is a great pity, that works mentioned above advance so slowly, because the area of Bydgoszcz voivodship — being almost thoroughly built of diverse glacial and postglacial landforms — seems to be especially fit for applying the Geomorphological Map of the Polish Lowland to numerous branches of planning and practical life.

The principal advantage of geomorphological maps, issued by the Lowland Geomorphology and Hydrography Department of the Geographical Institute in Toruń, lies in their usefulness for analysis of location values in generał, and for choosing a definite location alternative in particular. Reading of these maps gives us an exact view upon the land relief, its minerał structure and potential kinds of soils.

I. The land relief, measured by relative heights and degrees of incli-nation, is of great economic importance, although by far lesser than in mountainous or hilly regions. Notwithstanding, several features of the terrain hypsometry in Middle and North Poland can gravely influence State and social economy. The data included in the geomorphological maps of the Polish Lowland, enable regional planists to take important conclusions, concerning the following problems:

1. General location of industrial establishments and other important objects of investment:

a) At the first place it is necessary to point out close connections between land relief and the place, where a new factory should be constructed. The larger a plant, the morę excluded any uneven ground. If only two location alternatives are at hand, the fiat area is being chosen before the undulant one. Size and shape of desirable industrial areas are quite legible on maps on 1 :50,000 scalę already.

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