EN
The success of afforestation programme in Poland was recently enhanced by the Parliament's act on the transformation of arable land into afforestations. The new law can be applied only to an afforestation programme on areas bigger than 0.4 ha. Introduction of shelterbelts (mid-field rows of trees or their small patches) which cover smaller areas has no legal foundation for funding by governmental money what makes real obstacle for their wide distribution in rural areas. Shelterbelts can very effectively control diffusive pollution of ground water, erosion, and improve water storing capacities of the rural landscapes. Beside that shelterbelts provide refuge biotope for many wild plants and animals and by that token help to maintain the biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Thus, the shelterbelts could perform important functions for the environment and protection of living resources. On the areas characterized by high demand for arable land or on areas with soils of good fertility, the shelterbelts could be introduced much easier than the afforestations which need bigger areas for plantings. The accession of Poland to the European Union will result in launching agro-environmental programmes which will enforce the administration to inact clear legal pathways to launch the shelterbelt programme. The model ways of shelterbelts' implementations are under way and could contribute to elaboration of guidelines to be included into modified Common Agricultural Policy of the EU as original contribution of Polish agriculture. Shelterbelts and forests can form the strong system increasing the whole country resistance to environmental threats as well as ensure the protection of biodiversity on rural areas.