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Dear Readers! We are pleased to offer you a new issue of „Ochrona Zabytków - according to information on the cover, its number is 2/2009, although actually it is already the middle of 2010. This difference results from the fact that in the last few years there were shorter or longer gaps between consecutive issues oj our quarterly; which we endeavour to catch up with, at the same time trying to maintain the continuity o f numeration. rThis discrepancy between dates on the cover and the content o f successive issues has not constituted a major problem so far. However, this issue o f „Ochrona Zabytków" requires a special commentary because oj tremendous importance o f the tragic event that happened on 10 April this year and brought a painful loss to our circle, too. The publication that you are holding in your hands contains a memory o f the late Tomasz Merta, Deputy Minister o f Culture and National Heritage, General Conservator o f Monuments from 2005 till 2010, who died in the crash o f the Polish President's plane near Smolensk. The Minister was an outstanding General Conservator o f Monuments, who was fully dedicated to his work. He treated it as a mission aimed at ensuring optimum conditions for the maintenance o f our common heritage. He esteemed very highly the work and achievements o f conservators o f monuments and expressed deep understanding for their mission, but he also emphasized the need to undertake actions for the increase o f joint social responsibility for the heritage. He had immense confidence in the people he contacted. It was a really great honour to co-operate with Him. The Minister was also a regular reader oj „Ochrona Zabytków”, which was and still remains a real source oj pride for us. We hope that this issue would also be received by Him with appreciation and some constructive criticism as well. In this issue we focus once more on the matter o f cultural parks. The example oj Zgierz illustrates perfectly how effectively this form o f monument protection can contribute to the regeneration o f urban areas (with a wide spectrum o f potential activities). In another article we present the Skarżyńscy Palace in Studzieniec - a site which is currently ruined, but deserves a good study which we hope will help to save it. From among theoretical studies, we recommend considerations oj the selected aspects oj conservation theories by Alois Riegl and Cesare Prandi, which provide much inspiration and are an extremely topical subject in the context o f ongoing discussions on the philosophy o f the heritage protection system in our country. In this section you will also fin d an article on the legal aspects o f archaeological heritage protection, which is discussed on the example oj Peru and helps to gain a broader perspective o f dangers that concern this special category oj monuments. Phis issue is complemented by an article on the harmful impact oj mould fungi on panel painting, which is addressed to practical experts in monument conservation. I invite you to read our magazine! Respectfu lly yours Paulina Florjanowicz Acting as Director of the National Heritage Board of Poland