EN
The article is based on the literature review and authors’ own studies and aims to present the process of depopulation on the Polish-Czech border, with particular emphasis on the southern part of the Dolnośląskie and Opolskie voivodeships. The causes and phases of depopulation in the historical context were presented the spatial differentiation of its size and dynamics was indicated, and the spatial, functional and landscape effects of demographic changes were discussed, including disappearance of buildings and entire settlement units. The contemporary causes of depopulation of rural areas include mainly: ineffective agriculture, lack of non-agricultural jobs or their seasonality, difficult access to basic services, limited trade network, etc. The consequence of depopulation is decapitalization and devastation of rural buildings. The progressive degradation of traditional rural buildings (large residential buildings, large-scale farm buildings, farm layouts) results to a large ex- tent from its mismatch with the contemporary needs of the inhabitants, who are mostly not farmers. The progressive decline of buildings in rural areas results in the fragmentation of the morphological systems of villages. Moreover article also discusses the possibilities of preventing the negative effects of depopulation of the rural areas in the Polish-Czech border area.
PL
Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie zjawiska depopulacji na pograniczu polsko-czeskim, na przykładzie południowej części województwa dolnośląskiego i opol- skiego. Artykuł ma charakter przeglądowy, oparty na studiach literaturowych i dotych- czasowych badaniach autorów w tym zakresie tematycznym. Omówiono przyczyny i fazy depopulacji w kontekście historycznym, wskazano na przestrzenne zróżnicowanie jej wielkości oraz skutki przestrzenno-funkcjonalne i krajobrazowe, m.in. zanikanie zabudo- wy i całych jednostek osadniczych. Ponadto przedyskutowano możliwości zapobiegania negatywnym skutkom depopulacji na pograniczu polsko-czeskim.