Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The EU is currently under an energy transition and the phase-out of coal mining and
burning. The Bełchatów brown coal mine is scheduled to stop its operations in 2036. It is crucial to
analyse the transformation of the coal mining regions as a multilayered problem, which requires an
insight into the creation of new employment opportunities, restructuring of the social institutions
and remediation and revitalisation of the degraded environment. I focused on the implementation of
wood pastures, which are currently not researched in the context of post-coal mining landscapes.
Wood sheep pastures have a positive influence on degraded landscapes by enhancing the
accumulation of soil organic carbon, soil formation, water-holding capacity, development of soil
microorganisms and provision of varied habitats for different species. Local employment will have
higher resilience if industrial heritage tourism is supported by pastoral tourism and the
manufacturing of sheep-derived products. Through literature review, I found that the local economy,
society and landscape altogether will benefit from shepherdism if it is implemented along with
social change and land management transition towards community-led common pool resource
institutions. They are advantageous by being governed by a group of members, local and scientific
knowledge diversity, high consent with decisions, improved monitoring and socio-ecological
endurance. Finally, the application of sheep pastoralism in multiple post-coal mining sites can
contribute to the revival of sheep farming in Poland.