The paper is an attempt at estimating recent achievements in spatial management. It presents basic concepts of spatial management, i.e. space, spatial order and sustainable development. It also discuses major achievements in spatial management, such as: a new field of studies, a definition of spatial management, professional literature on the topic, evolution of law, emphasizing the role of society, ecological thinking, interest in rural areas, development and verification of a system of tools and forms enabling the implementation of spatial management objectives. Taking into consideration the economic effects of local development projects.

The paper describes the relationships between spatial economy and management, as independent scientific disciplines. The essence of these scientific disciplines and the research approaches applied (including procedures and techniques) are presented. Special attention was paid to the relationships observed in research conducted in communes. The function of commune development strategy as a model of suitable development is emphasized. This model coordinates and integrates social and economic development with spatial management of communes.

The aims of the studies were: to identify and evaluate the conditions propitious for the development of agritourism in the Lower Silesia Province, to analyze the possibilities of promoting countryside recreation, and to determine the factors and mechanisms conducive to agritourism development. The research comprised internal conditions (strengths and weaknesses of particular regions) and external conditions (opportunities and threats), as well as regional and local planning as instruments of agritourism development. The Lower Silesia Province, excluding the towns that had been separated, was evaluated employing the point-by-point method. An analysis of the internal conditions resulted in a separate evaluation of natural-anthropogenic and economic-social resources. This provided a basis for selecting 65 communes which qualify as areas of agritourism development. Among the external conditions of agricultural development, the economic situation and legal aspects were of primary importance. In order to promote countryside recreation, the services offered should be continuously improved and diversified. We should also aim at economic revival of communes, adapt the area to the tourists’ needs and pursue the spatial policy adopted in planning documents.

Price is a measure of the product value, but its level must offer the possibility of purchase. This is a complex problem in terms of rural tourism, where the product value depends on: environmental quality, tourist attractiveness of a given area and the level of services offered (e.g. scope of services, accommodation standards, owner’s personality and others). At the same time, there is a need for quantifiable parameters, which play an important role in the development of rural tourism and agritourism. The main question is what solution should be adopted to reduce costs and make price motivate customers to buy the product. This question was answered with the help of computer simulation procedures, applied for different levels of the service offered. They allowed to determine: the price-profit interaction, price range for relative values of the profit and the price discount mechanism (i.e. lower prices in the case of higher frequency). The results show that the most important profit-stimulating element is the frequency of service usage, followed by the product price.

The paper presents statistical analysis of selected features of the Cracow real estate market. The study was based on ca. 6 500 transactions conducted in the period from January 1996 to December 1999. The structure of the transactions was analyzed from the perspective of land designation. An upward trend in the prices of parcels designated for low-rise private sector housing was determined. An analysis of this trend shows that the real estate market was at that time at the stage of development.

The aim of the studies was to review and evaluate the models of separating the price of land from the price of the entire real estate. The prices were separated applying simplified methods and multiple regression models. Price separation modeling is an important element of mass valuation processes. The results obtained allow to separate the price of land from the price of the entire real estate exact to ca. 15%.

The object of the present studies were real estates formed as a result of privatization of the housing stock owned by the State Treasury and communes. The research carried out in two bounds of the city of Olsztyn showed that 85% of real estates located in this area are characterized by non-standard dimensions. It was also found that it would be difficult to eliminate this phenomenon completely. However, it can be reduced considerably, which would have an advantageous effect on the functionality and self-sufficiency of both individual real estates and the whole investigation area.

Woodiness is of primary importance while making economic and social decisions concerning the strategy of sustainable development. The studies constitute an attempt at making a statistical and cartographic evaluation of woodiness in the Lublin Province. The analysis was made on the basis of statistical data. The method of relative deviations was employed to determine the woodiness in the communes located in the Lublin Province, and to compare it with the average woodiness in the Province and in Poland. The dynamics of woodiness in the period 1995 – 2001 was also studied. The results are presented in the form of area chorograms. Another aim of the studies was to look at the above method, developed under different conditions of information processing, from a new perspective, and to show the possibility of presenting results as twin complementary maps. One of them maps would show “privileged” areas and the other – “handicapped” areas, in terms of the phenomenon studied.

Changing conditions of land development and worse environmental conditions result in a more restrictive approach to the issue of covering rural sites with greenery. This concerns first of all suburban villages, often situated along roads with heavy traffic. Small building plots and high building density leave no place for green areas, especially trees. Village sites should be characterized by sufficient insolation and ventilation, and must be protected from pollution and noise.

The paper presents the development of chains of modern trade objects, especially hypermarkets, and its analysis based on a survey conducted in the city of Olsztyn. The results of the studies may help to define the needs that should be taken into consideration while adopting spatial policy for the city and the region of Warmia and Mazury.

Parks have changed greatly over the centuries – from antique royal gardens, through medieval cloister viridarii to splendid parks of the Renaissance and Baroque. A new approach to the art of garden planning can be observed in the case of romantic gardens and landscape parks, decorated with sarcophaguses, small bridges, arbors and monuments. These elements require particular attention during renewal, as they are pieces of art unique to the epoch in which they were created. Many manor parks can be found in villages of Lower Silesia. In the communes investigated, i.e. Długołęka, Prusice and Sobótka, there were parks in 45.5% of villages. Many of them have been destroyed, but some can be restored, along with elements of small architecture.