Błędów Desert

Błędów Desert (Polish: Pustynia Błędowska) is an area of sands between Błędów (part of Dąbrowa Górnicza in Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union) and the villages of Chechło and Klucze in Poland. The area lies mainly on the Silesian Highlands in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. The Bledowska Sands is Central Europe's largest accumulation of loose sand in an area away from any sea, deposited thousands of years ago by a melting glacier.^[1] It occupies an area of 32 km² (12 sq mi). The sands have an average depth of 40m, up to 70m at the maximum. The Biała Przemsza River divides the desert in two from east to west.

The Błędów Desert was not created naturally, but rather as a result of human activity which lowered the water table to such a degree that the ground could no longer support plant life. Beginning in the Middle Ages, area forests were aggressively cleared to meet the needs of local mining and metal working endeavors. This clearcutting exposed approx. 150 km² of sand, which once reached as far north as Szczakowa.

According to legend, the desert was created by the Devil, who wanted to bury the nearby Olkusz silver mine in sand.

The desert was used as a military proving ground from the beginning of the 20th century. During the Second World War, the German Afrika Korps used the area to train soldiers and to test equipment before deployment in Africa.

Błędów Desert seen from Czubatka, before conservation.

Błędów Desert seen from Czubatka, after conservation.

In the centuries since its appearance, much of the Błędów Desert has been grown over. In 2013 and 2014 conservation efforts have restored some of the desert sands.^[2]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Błędów Desert.

(English) Poland's travel site (scroll down the page!)
(Polish) Błędów Desert (to view the photo gallery, scroll down the page!)
(Polish) Polish Sahara Association
Wikimapia-Entry

World deserts

Desert Desertification List of deserts List of deserts by area

Africa	Algerian Bayuda Blue Chalbi Danakil Djurab Eastern Ferlo Farafra (White) Kalahari Libyan Moçâmedes Namib Nubian Nyiri Owami Richtersveld Sahara Tanezrouft Ténéré

Asia	Ad-Dahna Akshi Arabian Aral Karakum Aralkum Badain Jaran Betpak-Dala Cholistan Dasht-e Kavir Dasht-e Khash Dasht-e Leili Dasht-e Loot Dasht-e Margo Dasht-e Naomid Gurbantünggüt Gobi Hami Indus Valley Judaean Karakum Kharan Kumtag Kyzylkum Liwa Lop Maranjab Muyunkum Nefud Negev Ordos Qaidam Ramlat al-Sab'atayn Rub' al Khali Russian Arctic Registan Saryesik-Atyrau Syrian Taklamakan Tengger Thal Thar Ustyurt Plateau Wahiba Sands

Australia	Gibson Great Sandy Great Victoria Little Sandy Nullarbor Plain Painted Pedirka Simpson Strzelecki Sturt's Stony Tanami Tirari

Europe	Accona Bardenas Reales Błędów Cabo de Gata Deliblatska Peščara Hálendi Monegros Oleshky Oltenian Sahara Ryn Stranja Tabernas

North America	Alvord Amargosa Baja California Black Rock Carcross Carson Channeled scablands Chihuahuan Colorado Escalante Forty Mile Gran Desierto de Altar Great Basin Great Salt Lake Great Sandy Jornada del Muerto Kaʻū Lechuguilla Mojave North American Arctic Owyhee Painted Desert Red Desert Sevier Smoke Creek Sonoran Tule (Arizona) Tule (Nevada) Yp Yuha Yuma

South America	Atacama La Guajira Los Médanos de Coro Monte Patagonian Sechura Tatacoa

Oceania	Zealandia: Rangipo Desert

Polar regions	Antarctica Arctic Greenland North American Arctic Russian Arctic

Project Category Commons

Coordinates: 50°21′22″N 19°31′03″E / 50.35617°N 19.51762°E / 50.35617; 19.51762

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, July 22, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.