Good Practice - Project
Construction of the megalithic route – The Time Portal
CAP funds diversify Poland’s rural economy by promoting multifunctional forestry services providing niche tourism.
General information
RDP Priority
- P6. Social inclusion and local development
RDP Focus Area
- 6B: Local development
RDP Measure
- M19: LEADER/CLLD
Beneficiary type
- Non-governmental organisation
Summary
The CAP can help forestry experts develop multifunctional woodlands that not only support traditional timber production but also promote ecotourism and cultural heritage initiatives. This diversification helps create sustainable economic opportunities for rural communities while preserving their natural and historical resources.
One promising avenue for forest diversification lies in the exploration and promotion of hidden archaeological sites within forested areas. These sites often go unnoticed, yet they represent a rich tapestry of historical significance that can attract tourists interested in cultural heritage. By integrating archaeological tourism with forestry management, stakeholders can create unique experiences that highlight both nature and history, thereby drawing visitors who are keen to engage with local culture while enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking or guided tours.
EU funding from Poland’s Rural Development Programme supported a successful LEADER project promoting multi-functional forestry approaches in 27 municipalities from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Results
- A new archaeological open-air museum, ‘The Time Portal’, presents reconstructed Stone Age burial constructions and Bronze Age barrows, and a replica of a hut of the megalithic builders - representatives of the funnel beaker culture. The site is also used for cultural events or group tours that increase knowledge of the forests’ historical heritage.
- 52 km of new forest tourism paths for walkers and cyclists now provide recreational infrastructure in Dolice, Sułkowo, and Przelewice, with functions to attract visitors and tourist income.
- A teaching offer was created for schoolchildren and students in Dolice, Sułkowo and Przelewice.
Promoter
WIR Association - Rural Development Initiative
Funding
RDP support: 78 721 (EUR)
EAFRD: 50 090 (EUR)
National/Regional: 28 631 (EUR)
Resources
Links
Context
The CAP’s rural development funds can build the capacity of Member State forestry sectors to diversify, including through optimising tourism opportunities. By using CAP funds, forestry experts can develop multi-functional woodlands that support traditional timber production as well as promote ecotourism and cultural heritage initiatives. This diversification helps create sustainable economic opportunities for rural communities while preserving their natural and historical resources.
One promising avenue for forest diversification lies in the exploration and promotion of hidden archaeological sites within forested areas. These sites often go unnoticed, yet they can represent a rich tapestry of historical significance and an opportunity for attracting tourists interested in cultural heritage. By integrating archaeological tourism with forestry management, stakeholders can create unique experiences that highlight both nature and history, thereby drawing visitors who are keen to engage with local culture while enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking or guided tours.
Success factors include effective collaboration among stakeholders (e.g. municipalities, archaeologists, and forest managers) to identify and protect these archaeological assets while promoting them responsibly. Forestry experts also need experience and support to equip them with the skills necessary for managing tourism alongside traditional forestry practices.
Archaeology sites are part of the forest landscape in Poland’s West Pomeranian Voivodeship, and here LEADER provided an opportunity for enabling rural innovation, leading to a good practice project blending forestry, tourism and heritage goals. Two LAGs cooperated closely with stakeholders from forestry and public services to make this good practice project happen.
Objectives
This LEADER project that helped Poland’s forestry sector diversify had multifunctional goals to:
- increase tourism to an area of 27 municipalities that are among the most valuable in terms of nature, landscape and history in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, making use of the area's archaeological heritage.
- increase revenue from tourism in the region.
- create visitor sites and facilities for tourists and a teaching base for those who want to learn about the prehistory of the area, in particular children and young people.
- create venues for conferences, walking and cycling rallies.
- complement the existing teaching bases at the Forest Education Chamber in Sułków and the Przelewice Gardens - West Pomeranian Centre for Rural Culture and Environmental Education with historical education.
Activities
An open-air museum of burial sites was built in the form of barrows, and an ancient megalithic tomb with a burial was reconstructed. The structure was built in Dolice, approximately 800 m from the original tomb. A shelter with a fire pit was also built as part of the project to create an innovative didactic tourist-recreational offer based on the area's historical heritage from the fifth to the second centuries BC.
A reconstruction of a hut of that time, together with the figures of its inhabitants and their tools, was built in Przelewice, and a presentation of copies of artefacts (including vessels and tools) excavated during archaeological work was set up in Sułków. In this way, a route of about 52 km was created, which can be cycled. In both Przelewice and Sułków, information boards are installed in the Forest Education Chamber.
More specifically, the megalithic route project’s timeline involved:
- meetings and consultations with the forest commission, local government officials, academics and two LAGs.
- construction of the tourist information and education infrastructure and reconstruction of artefacts, huts and figures was carried out based on scientific research.
- LAG: Association "WIR" - Rural Development Initiative (Partner No. 1) constructed an open-air burial museum on a 1:1 scale, i.e. a trapezoidal burial tomb 80 m long, two Bronze Age barrows, and plaques describing the site.
- the "Lider Pojezierza" Association (Partner No. 2) made a reconstruction of a contemporary hut with figures of its inhabitants on a scale of 1:1, tools and utensils in Przelewice, as well as a reconstruction of objects discovered during archaeological research in Sułków in the Pełczyce commune.
- project promotion: organisation of a conference to summarise the project and publication of a promotional leaflet.
- placing information about the megalithic route "The Time Portal" in the tourist app "West is the Best" in 2021. The app was created as part of an earlier cooperation project of the LAGs of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
- organisation of visits for young people, senior citizens and others interested in the project and conferences by the University of Szczecin in 2021- 2024.
Information about the project appeared in the publication "Archaeological Sites of Western Pomerania - Zabytki archeologiczne Pomorza Zachodniego".
Main results
This LEADER project created a facility that is both informative and recreational, aimed also at younger generations. The area of the archaeological sites presented in the project spans two neighbouring LAGs. Key benefits and outcomes were:
- a new archaeological open-air museum, "The Time Portal", presenting reconstructed Stone Age burial constructions and Bronze Age barrows, and a replica of a hut of the megalithic builders, representatives of the funnel beaker culture. The site is also used for cultural events or group tours that increase knowledge of the forests’ historical heritage.
- 52 km of new forest tourism paths for walkers and cyclists now provide recreational infrastructure in Dolice, Sułkowo, and Przelewice, with functions to attract visitors and tourist income.
- A teaching offer was created for schoolchildren and students in Dolice, Sułkowo, and Przelewice.
Key lessons
- LEADER is an opportunity for enhancing the multifunctionality of forestry sectors in EU countries, particularly through the integration of tourism linked to hidden archaeological sites.
- By involving local communities and experts in archaeology, forestry, and tourism, projects can align better with regional cultural heritage and environmental sustainability goals.
- It is essential to conduct thorough assessments of both ecological impacts and potential tourist interest.
- Understanding local biodiversity alongside historical significance allows for a balanced approach that promotes conservation while fostering economic growth through tourism.
- Effective marketing strategies tailored to highlight these unique offerings can attract visitors and create sustainable revenue streams.
- Continuous monitoring and evaluation are imperative to ensure that initiatives funded by LEADER achieve their intended outcomes. This iterative process enables adjustments based on feedback from participants and tourists alike, ultimately leading to more successful diversification within the forestry sector.
Thanks to the cooperation with archaeologists, it was possible to show what people in those times probably looked like, how they lived, what tools they had, and which they used for everyday work in a vivid, tangible way, interesting for everyone and not found anywhere else in Poland. Learning about one's own history influences the residents' identification with the area, which is important in a province that is a cultural melting pot and a relatively young society. After the Second World War, there was a complete population exchange in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, and the groups that arrived here came from different parts of pre-war Poland.
Malgorzata Krysiak