Lower Silesia is exposed to the emission of pollutants coming both from industrial centres located in the region and from abroad. That pollution is harmful not only for agricultural land but also for forest complexes which occupy over 29% of the region’s area. The study investigated the quality of forest soils in the Lower Silesia province by comparing the sulphur and heavy metal contents of forest soils in the former provinces of Lower Silesia (Jelenia Góra, Legnica, Wałbrzych and Wrocław) and the whole region. The results were to the disadvantage of the former Wałbrzych province while the Wrocław province appeared to have the least polluted forest soils. Despite marked differences, the calculated mean values of heavy metal contents were as a rule within the natural range.

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