Abstract

The natural environment of a human being consists of natural ground (where one can find food) and a society (in which one lives). Additionally, the person constitutes his or her own environments. This article explains the process of shaping ecological awareness during the Second Republic of Poland (1918 – 1939) in the pages of the yearbook “Wierchy” printed in Lviv since 1923.  “Wierchy” replaced the journal “Pamiętniki” (which had been published by the Polish Tatra Association until 1920). It was devoted to the issue of the problems of the mountains and its territory and culture – as an organ of the Polish Tatra Association (published by the General Management together with the Lviv branch of the Association). The editorial committee consisted of prof. dr Jan Gwalbert Pawlikowski (editor–in-chief), prof. dr Adolf Chybiński, prof. dr Walery Goetel, dr Roman Kordys, and Major Bronisław Romaniszyn. The yearbook included numerous scientific articles explaining the significance of the idea and practices for the protection of flora and fauna in the Tatra Mountains. The urgent need for the protection of the Tatra environment was described in the journal as was the cultural determinants of human relationships with nature using examples from scholarly, poetic and musical works which form Polish cultural heritage.