The area in the vicinity of Nowy Targ is located within the northern part of the Orawa-Nowy Targ Basin and the southern slopes of the Gorce Mountains in the Polish sector of the Outer Carpathians. Geologically, the region is built of the Upper Cretaceous–Palaeogene turbiditic deposits representing sedimentary successions of the Krynica Subunit of the Magura Nappe and the Neogene–Quaternary fresh-water deposits filling the Orawa-Nowy Targ Basin. The Magura Nappe in the described area is represented by the thick-bedded sandstones of the Magura Formation and thin-and medium-bedded sandstone-shale deposits of the Malcov Formation, which are well-exposed in numerous outcrops, especially in the Łopuszna stream valley. The Magura Nappe deposits were folded and cut by a fault system in the Miocene. The presented area displays varied geomorphological relief and picturesque landscapes. Moreover, rare species of fauna and flora occurring here, as well as the still-alive culture of the Podhale Highlanders and continuously improving tourist infrastructure additionally contribute to the development of geotourism in this area. In addition, this area is an increasingly popular place among cyclists, thanks to the development of a network of bicycle paths, therefore the proposed geotourist bicycle path will extend the offer for this group of tourists.
PL
Prezentowane okolice Nowego Targu zlokalizowane są w obrębie północnego obrzeżenia Kotliny Orawsko-Nowotarskiej oraz na południowych zboczach Gorców w polskim sektorze Karpat Zewnętrznych. Obszar ten zbudowany jest z późnokredowo-paleogeńskich utworów turbidytowych reprezentujących sukcesję osadową podjednostki krynickiej płaszczowiny magurskiej oraz lądowe osady neogeńsko-czwartorzędowe wypełniające Kotlinę Orawsko-Nowotarską. Formacja magurska w opisywanym terenie reprezentowana jest przez gruboławicowe piaskowce formacji magurskiej oraz cienko- i średnioławicowe utwory piaskowcowo-łupkowe formacji malcowskiej, które odsłaniają się w licznych odkrywkach, w szczególności w obrębie doliny potoku Łopuszna. W miocenie utwory płaszczowiny magurskiej zostały sfałdowane i pocięte systemem uskoków. Obszar ten ma urozmaiconą rzeźbę i malownicze krajobrazy. Jednocześnie występujące tu rzadkie gatunki fauny i flory, wciąż żywa kultura górali podhalańskich oraz coraz lepsza infrastruktura turystyczna sprzyjają rozwojowi geoturystyki w tym obszarze. Dodatkowo obszar ten jest coraz bardziej popularnym miejscem wśród rowerzystów, dzięki rozwojowi sieci ścieżek rowerowych, dlatego też proponowana geoturystyczna trasa rowerowa będzie poszerzeniem oferty dla tej grupy turystów.
Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo L.) found in central Europe are partial migrants and the number of birds which winter on the breeding ground depends on atmospheric conditions. The advantages of wintering on breeding grounds are counterbalanced by the risk of unfavorable atmospheric conditions and influence the birds’ migration decision. During the periods from October to March (2002/2003–2004/2005), changes in habitat use by the Common Buzzard were studied in the open terrain of the mountain valley (Kotlina Orawsko-Nowotarska, Carpathians, southern Poland). The results were analyzed according to four meteorological periods (autumn, early winter, winter, early spring). Snow cover caused significant differences in types of habitats used by foraging Common Buzzards. During permanent snow cover the extent to which open areas was used decreased from 65% in periods without snow cover to 52% in other periods. At the same time the number of birds foraging in afforestations increased from 28% during periods without snow cover to 42% during periods with snow cover. The extent to which vegetation types was used also changed significantly. During the winter abandoned lands, which probably offer a richer food base, were used more often (56 vs. 23–33% in periods without snow cover). During permanent snow cover birds used higher perches, which presumably enabled them to observe a larger area and made hunting more efficient and compensated for limited access to prey.