The reactivation of the ski resort in Szczawnik, pompously announced by the Muszyna municipality, has been blocked by a decision of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Krakow. The institution pointed out that the area of the planned investment is a key habitat for large protected predators, including the lynx and the wolf. According to RDOŚ, the tourist benefits do not compensate for the potential losses to the environment. The Szczawnik ski lift was closed several years ago.
Szczawnik ski lift for over PLN 100 million
In the summer of 2024, the mayor of Muszyna, Jan Golba, announced plans to launch a modern cable car in Szczawnik. According to the announcements, the PLN 100 million resort would be equipped with 20 gondolas and the same number of chairs. Polskie Koleje Linowe, which acquired the 167-hectare site of the former Agricultural Production Cooperative in 2023, was to be in charge of the project. The investment was also to include the construction of a slide, catering facilities and tourist infrastructure.
Environmental decision: no consent
The Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection did not give its approval for the project. As she explained, an annual inventory showed the presence of a lynx with cubs and traces of 45 other large predators. The area also serves as an ecological migration corridor. According to the institution, the expansion of the centre would mean a physical barrier for the animals and a loss of their habitat. The RDOŚ additionally pointed out that the project does not assume only the renovation of the old ski lift, but the construction of a year-round tourist complex of a much larger scale. In the assessment of the RDOŚ, the investment threatens the integrity of the Natura 2000 site. Although potential economic benefits were also considered, it was considered that their value does not balance the negative environmental impact.
“This is a decision against the people”
In an interview with tvn24.pl, Jan Golba criticised the RDOŚ decision as harmful to the local community. He stressed that the zoning plan allows the investment and that the area itself has served a recreational function for years. In his opinion, the project could stop the outflow of young people from the region and provide jobs in the tourist services sector. The Mayor of Muszyna also pointed out that the investor planned to develop only part of the plot, leaving the rest of the area in its natural state. According to Golba, environmental constraints effectively prevent economic development in regions based solely on treatment and tourism.
Scientists: investment pressure threatens large predators
According to Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Schmidt of the Institute of Mammal Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Białowieża, the biggest threat to the lynx population is environmental fragmentation. This species needs vast and uninterrupted areas. Any investment in the migration corridor may lead to genetic isolation of the animals. In an interview with tvn24.pl, the professor noted that even if there was a ski lift in the area in the past, the presence of a lynx is not excluded if it is on a small scale. However, an increase in traffic intensity, fences and associated infrastructure could completely change the character of the area. Reducing the scale of the investment and introducing measures to minimise the impact on the environment could open up space for further dialogue, but there has been no such proposal from the developer so far.
Szczawnik – uncertain future of the project
The authorities of Muszyna do not hide their disappointment. Local government officials and residents have been preparing for the project for years. The planning process, sale of land and talks with the investor were thwarted by the environmental decision. Mayor Golba fears that without the possibility of developing tourism, the local community will be deprived of real opportunities for development. According to the RDOŚ, further decisions will depend on proposals to reduce the scale of the investment and adapt it to the rigours of nature conservation. For now, however, the planned construction of a new ski resort in Szczawnik has been put on hold.
Source: tvn24.pl, Polskie Koleje Linowe
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