Szata roślinna i mikobiota rezerwatu „Krzemionki Opatowskie” oraz obszaru Natura 2000 „Krzemionki”: dzieje badań i stan ochrony / Plant cover and mycobiota of „Krzemionki Opatowskie” reserve and Natura 2000 „Krzemionki” area: the history of research and the state of protection
by Adam Kapler 
DOI: 10.33547/SeTII.5
In: A. Jedynak (ed.) 2023. Krzemionki. 100 lat od odkrycia (Silex et Ferrum II), pp. 127–144. Sudół – Pękowice: Muzeum Historyczno-Archeologiczne w Ostrowcu Świętokrzyskim/Wydawnictwo Profil-Archeo.
The conservation of nature in Krzemionki was related to the level of knowledge about it. Four stages in the history of exploring the biota can be defined. First period (1913–1970s) included the existence of Krzemionki village and the first contributions to get familiar with the local plant cover within a wide-ranging research of the whole Kielce Region. Second period (1970s – 1995) embraced the liquidation of the village, pioneering works of botanists from Kielce academic centre and finally the official establishment of „Krzemionki Opatowskie” reserve. In the third stage (1995–2011) Krzemionki was being prepared to be included into the European Natura 2000 network, which involved implementing new conceptions of species and habitat protection. Aforementioned species and habitats are often threatened on an European scale, but sometimes still common in Poland. Hence there were not especially interesting for Polish naturalists and conservationists. The capstone of the stage was creating the „Krzemionki” Natura 2000 area. The fourth period (2011– now) is being characterized by increasing use of Krzemionki for academic teaching (Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, University of Łódź) and applying even newer research tools to solve the old and the new problems of conservation botany.