263:-like” area – a humid, green valley of the Biała Przemsza River. The northern part of „the desert” was characterised, as now, by a dominating, typical deflation relief. While a system of dunes, transverse in the western part and longitudinal in the eastern part, at various stages of development existed within the limit of the southern part of the area. Among the dunes more or less vast deflation surfaces and basins occurred. The area of the Błędów Desert is surrounded in the north and south by forest complexes. The neighborhood of forests is also characteristic of a part of the edge of the Biała Przemsza valley vicinity. Hence, characteristic dune border ridges have been formed on the verge between the flat sandy surface and the forest. Since the 1960s, the area of the Błędów Desert has started to change rapidly, due to secondary human interference, into a “desert” environment. However, that interference was completely different than it had been before. The vegetation was not destroyed but intensively planted to stabilize quick sands. There were mainly shrubs of willows
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299:) with Salix acutifolia shrubs and S. arenaria covered almost the whole investigated area and the previous young forests had changed into mature ones . Therefore, the unique “desert“ character of Błędów Desert has almost completely disappeared. In the years 2004–2005), the areas without vegetation – old active deflation basins (in SE part of the “desert”) were minute, they do not play their morphogenetic role and they are covered by clumps of Salix arenaria, forming characteristic phytogenic hills.
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372:), launched from the "Schendek" training ground. It is supposed to be confirmed by an AK intelligence report stating that five-ton missiles were delivered to "Udetfeld" rockets in March 1944. After World War II, the Błędów Desert again becomes a training ground for the Polish aviation and ground troops. Wrecked tanks and demobilized cannons were set up as targets for shelling, conducted from aircraft. Exercises were carried out on both parts of the desert - northern and southern.
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desert areas. At the beginning of the 20th century, the phenomenon of fatamorgana and sandstorms were observed here. Old photographs featuring the Błędów Desert show tall sand dunes that wandered through the desert, which allowed it to serve, among other things, as an open-air location for the filming of "Pharaoh" by
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The desert fauna is mainly insects and birds (150 species). Among birds, the most noteworthy are the boric lark or the field pipit. The culms - desert-steppe birds - once nested on the sands. The White
Przemsza River flows through the middle of the desert, where muskrats and beavers can be found and
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During the Ice Age, sands and gravels were deposited in the area of today's desert. Subsequently, the area was overgrown with dense forest, which was exploited for the silver and lead mines operating in the Olkusz area since the 13th century. Logging and groundwater extraction led to the creation of
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The average annual precipitation in the Błędów Desert is 726 mm, and the average temperature is 7.3º C, the precipitation value criteria for a desert does indicate that it's not technically a desert, however, the rare sight of big amounts of sand and desert phenomena occurring in previous years led
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In the centuries since its appearance, much of the Błędów Desert has been grown over. In 2013 and 2014 EU-led intentional deforestation and destruction of the native plant life had restored some of the desert sands, continuing the damage to the ecosystem from the Middle Ages. The desert is entirely
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in Krakow regularly train in the desert, holding exercises in landing and sham actions only in the northern part of the Błędów Desert, from the Chechło side (the boundaries of the military area, subject to a ban on entry, are indicated by appropriate signs in the area). Periodically, international
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Since the 1970s, hydrological and hydrogeological conditions in the discussed area have also changed significantly. Until the mentioned year, the ground water level had been 3–8 m below the level of the ground. Later, it lowered abruptly by 20–30 m due to currentdeep exploitation of zinc and lead
70:. The Błędów Desert is Central Europe's largest accumulation of loose sand in an area away from any sea, deposited thousands of years ago by a melting glacier. It occupies an area of 32 km (12 sq mi). The sands have an average depth of 40 m, up to 70 m at the maximum. The
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to such a degree that the ground could no longer support plant life. Beginning in the Middle Ages, the area's forests were aggressively cleared to meet the needs of local mining and metal working endeavors. This clearcutting exposed approx. 150 km of sand, which once reached as far south as
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In 40 years (in 1995), due to the mentioned human interference and also due to natural succession and expansion of willow shrubs and grass vegetation, the areas covered by plants have significantly increased. Young pine forests and psammophilous vegetation (mainly
252:. In the 1950s, much of the desert was planted with pine and holly willow to consolidate the local volatile sands and protect the surrounding fields from being buried by sand. This led to the disappearance of most of the desert area.
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ores occurring in the neighborhood. However, the change of those conditions has not caused any changes in vegetation as the aforementioned species have adapted to the new water regime and continued to grow under arid conditions.
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The Błędów Desert became a regular training ground only in the interwar years of the 20th century, however, it had episodically been used by the military even earlier. On
November 15, 1914 soldiers of the 4th Battalion of the
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were seen over the desert during aerial manouvers. Maneuvers using the C-17 were also held in July 2021. Some of the planned exercises are reported the website of the 6th
Airborne Brigade named after Brig. Gen.
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investigations, carried out at the end of the 1950s, proved that the Błędów Desert – as today – was composed of two significantly varying parts: northern and southern ones, divided by an “
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in North Africa). According to "Militaria" magazine (a 1997 publication), before the fighting in Africa, the corps units conducted in the Błędów Desert to test their vehicles.
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striking the ground. At first glance, the landscape appears monotonous, but small dune formations and the valley of the Biala
Przemsza River add variety to the area.
493:- beetles of green or purple color with white spots on their lids. Anteaters feed on loose sands; their larvae form funnel-shaped holes into which ants fall.
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Today, efforts are underway to prevent overgrowth and preserve the desert's unique landscape. Livestock grazing is also planned to prevent its overgrowth.
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trees in the western part of the desert. Only near Klucze in the eastern part of the desert and in the north, in the vicinity of Dąbrówka Hill near
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River divides the desert in two from east to west. The northernmost part of the desert is closed to visitors because it is a military zone, where
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A wooden installation with bridges and platforms shaped like a wind rose symbol located near the road connecting neighboring cities Klucze and
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maneuvers were held here as part of
Cooperative Bear '99, with the participation of aviation and medical services. In September 2016, American
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aircraft, whose three-person crew was killed. During the occupation, the desert was used for training by German troops, including units of the
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regularly practiced in the Błędów Desert. Flights over the sandy training ground were performed by squadrons of fighters and bombers from the
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662:. A tourist path leading to Klucze begins next to the installation. A common point of interest for events taking place on the desert.
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116:. Military exercises continue in the area, including an airborne assault operation involving US, Canadian, and Polish forces in 2014.
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A viewpoint with a platform for desert observation situated near the village of Chechło. Next to the observation platform, a
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grains with numerous crumbs of other minerals. Most often they are polished to a shine. Among the attractions are
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759:"Vegetation Succession Over an Area of a Medieval Ecological Disaster. the Case of the Błędów Desert, Poland"
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for the desert. Has several benches and tables for tourist activities and an observation tower acting as a
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The Błędów Desert was not created naturally, but rather as a result of human activity, which lowered the
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In the area of the desert, many cyclic events take place such as runs, family picnics and concerts.
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334:. The exercises mostly consisted of firing shots at ground targets - targets and mock-up aircraft.
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1121:"Pustynia Błędowska – najbliższe imprezy i wydarzenia – kalendarz 2020 – Pustynia Błędowska"
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could be observed in the area. The current desert landscape is becoming less desert-like. A
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River into two parts: northern - smaller and southern - larger. The sand is formed by fine
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According to legend, the desert was created by the Devil, who wanted to bury the nearby
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961:"The Blendow desert (pustynia Blędowska) a unique phenomenon of the Polish landscape"
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bunker is located. The restricted area of the desert is visible from the site.
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The desert is divided by an overgrown strip stretching along the bed of the
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used the area to train soldiers and to test equipment before deployment in
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Until recently, phenomena characteristic of natural deserts, such as
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The area contains less than 100 species of various higher plants (
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forest grows around it, and the overgrown former dunes resemble a
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Błędów Desert (to view the photo gallery, scroll down the page!)
842:"American, Canadian paratroopers jump in to Poland for exercise"
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1163:"Zapraszamy na Nocne Zwiedzanie Pustyni Błędowskiej 8 wrze..."
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Błędów Desert seen from
Czubatka, before preservation efforts.
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Błędów Desert seen from
Czubatka, after preservation efforts.
160:, which are minerals formed by the melting of sand by
935:"Pustynia Błędowska - Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska"
893:"Pustynia Błędowska: z namiotem na "polską Saharę""
104:from the beginning of the 20th century. During the
38:), is an area of sands and gravels located between
380:military exercises also take place here. In 1999,
364:. It is also likely that tests of rocket weapons (
337:In June 1939, there was a serious accident with a
1100:"dojazd i punkty widokowe. – Pustynia Błędowska"
868:"Poland's hidden oddity: A mini Sahara desert"
959:Rahmonov, O.; Szczypek, T.; Wach, J. (2006).
8:
866:Newton, Paula; Chubb, Laura (5 June 2014).
813:David R. Higgins (2015). "The combatants".
757:Rahmonov, Oimahmad; Oleś, Wojciech (2010).
470:stream lampreys can be found in the river.
789:"Pustynia Błędowska - Szlak Orlich Gniazd"
1055:Stowarzyszenie Przyjaciół Białej Przemszy
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315:practiced here just before marching to
1025:"Pustynia Błędowska - polska pustynia"
439:. Rarer or protected species include:
345:(German armored corps, fighting under
220:thermophilous inland sand grasslands,
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136:man-made and not a natural habitat.
1076:"Fauna i flora pustyni Błędowskiej"
209:, the Błędów Desert area includes:
100:The desert was used as a military
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1142:"Wydarzenia – Pustynia Błędowska"
979:"Informacje – Pustynia Błędowska"
489:In the sands there are predatory
375:Currently, paratroopers from the
332:2nd Aviation Regiment from Krakow
207:Annex I of the Habitats Directive
16:Sandy Geographical Area in Poland
1049:Drążewski, Łukasz (2012-11-09).
678:A hill in Klucze, acting as a
195:, are there larger sandbanks.
62:. The area lies mainly on the
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816:Panzer II vs 7TP: Poland 1939
674:Tourist map on Czubatka hill
326:In the interwar period, the
840:LaVey, A.M. (16 May 2014).
742:(in Polish). Archived from
690:Dąbrówka Hill (355 m a.s.l)
491:northern dune tiger beetles
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819:. Bloomsbury Publishing.
68:Lesser Poland Voivodeship
1004:podroze.polskieszlaki.pl
911:podroze.polskieszlaki.pl
449:broad-leaved helleborine
145:to calling it a desert.
1031:(in Polish). 2012-02-24
1006:(in Polish). 2009-08-07
913:(in Polish). 2009-08-07
213:inland dunes with sand
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666:Czubatka (382 m a.s.l)
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503:European honey buzzard
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50:) and the villages of
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1221:50.35617°N 19.51762°E
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140:Geography and climate
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1245:Silesian Voivodeship
1000:"Pustynia Błędowska"
965:Annales Geographicae
907:"Pustynia Błędowska"
420:Teesdalia nudicaulis
391:Stanislaw Sosabowski
377:6th Airborne Brigade
271:, as well as pines (
198:Among the important
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1080:rzilife-pustynia.pl
457:, which is a local
454:Cochlearia polonica
425:common whitlowgrass
291:, Koeleria glauca,
1226:50.35617; 19.51762
1051:"Czas na Centurię"
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36:Pustynia Błędowska
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570:Viviparous lizard
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696:World War II
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354:World War II
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339:PZL 23 KARAŚ
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1168:(in Polish)
1144:(in Polish)
1123:(in Polish)
1102:(in Polish)
1057:(in Polish)
981:(in Polish)
941:(in Polish)
795:(in Polish)
716: [
619:Hymenoptera
575:Grass snake
560:Sand lizard
543:Orthopteran
317:Krzywopłoty
269:S. arenaria
243:Environment
83:water table
1212:19°31′03″E
1209:50°21′22″N
1172:2024-02-14
1148:2024-02-14
1127:2024-02-14
1106:2024-02-13
1085:2024-02-14
1061:2024-02-14
1035:2024-02-14
1010:2024-02-14
985:2024-02-14
945:2024-02-14
917:2024-02-13
799:2022-04-16
726:References
594:Amphibians
508:Kingfisher
433:sand sedge
255:The first
226:, poplar,
215:grasslands
173:sandstorms
158:fulgurites
775:0014-0015
680:viewpoint
565:Slow worm
477:Slow-worm
362:Penemünde
358:Pyrzowice
295:, rarely
162:lightning
88:Szczakowa
76:exercises
42:(part of
1239:Category
763:Erdkunde
702:See also
629:Source:
589:Woodlark
549:Reptiles
538:Woodlark
528:Redshank
407:vascular
230:and ash
200:European
846:US Army
625:Tourism
459:endemic
352:During
238:History
232:forests
203:habitat
193:Chechło
66:in the
52:Chechło
877:12 May
851:12 May
823:
773:
633:Events
451:, and
395:Krakow
224:willow
185:meadow
175:, and
154:quartz
114:Africa
95:Olkusz
60:Poland
56:Klucze
40:Błędów
32:Polish
720:]
660:Hutki
497:Birds
465:Fauna
401:Flora
277:Alnus
261:oasis
228:alder
189:birch
177:dunes
879:2021
853:2021
821:ISBN
771:ISSN
435:and
382:NATO
267:and
181:pine
54:and
872:CNN
393:in
368:or
279:).
171:or
58:in
46:in
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370:V2
366:V1
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