Geosite: Szmaragdowe Lake (FID: 1)

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Dynamic geosite (Active processes: 5)

Description: The Emerald Lake (Szmaragdowe Lake, Jezioro Szmaragdowe) in Szczecin is an artificial water body formed in a former limestone quarry. From the late 19th century until 1925, high-quality chalk and limestone were extracted here, mainly for cement production. Mining ended abruptly after a catastrophic collapse, when underground workings filled with water, flooding the quarry and creating the present lake. The water’s striking emerald-green color results from dissolved calcium carbonate and light reflection. The site is framed by steep quarry walls, reaching up to 20–30 meters, which emphasize its dramatic landscape. The area is also prone to landslides and rockfalls, a reminder of its geological instability. Today, the lake is set within the forested hills of the Szczecin Landscape Park 'Puszcza Bukowa', offering both natural beauty and a glimpse into the region’s industrial and geological past.

Property: Public.

Accessibility: Szmaragdowe Lake lies in the eastern part of Szczecin, within the Bukowa Forest. It is easily accessible by foot, bicycle, or public transport, with marked trails leading to viewpoints and recreational areas around the lake.

Use limitations: Access to Szmaragdowe Lake is generally unrestricted, as it lies within a public landscape park. However, swimming and diving in the lake are prohibited. Visitors are encouraged to remain on designated trails.

Safety: Visitors to Szmaragdowe Lake should be aware of natural hazards typical of former quarry sites. Steep cliffs pose risks near the lake's edges. Safety is enhanced by maintained trails and designated viewpoints.

Interpretatives: The Ecological Education Center presents exhibitions on thebiodiversity of the Bukowa Forest, mining traditions, and the military history of the area. Along the trails, information boards provide details on natural habitats.

Infrastructure: The area around Szmaragdowe Lake is equipped with tourist infrastructure that facilitates exploration of the site. A network of marked walking trails leads to several viewpoints located on the quarry rim, offering panoramic views of the lake and surrounding forest. Stairways and paths provide access to steep slopes, improving visitor safety. The vicinity also hosts the 'Szmaragd' Ecological Education Center, which organizes events and serves as an information hub for visitors.

Protection: Szmaragdowe Lake and its surroundings form part of the Szczecin Landscape Park 'Puszcza Bukowa', a protected area under Polish nature conservation law. The site is also integrated into local heritage initiatives that emphasize both its natural and cultural values. Protective regulations aim to preserve the lake, surrounding forest, and associated geological features.

Fragility: The site's physical stability is influenced by geological and environmental processes. Quarry walls are susceptible to erosion and landslides, while vegetation encroachment gradually alters the visual character of the cliffs. Water levels may fluctuate depending on seasonal conditions, potentially affecting the lake's appearance and ecosystems.

Vulnerability: Human activity remains a potential threat to Szmaragdowe Lake. Unregulated tourism, littering, and trampling of vegetation may disturb the natural environment. Unauthorized swimming, climbing, or disturbance of quarry walls could accelerate erosion and pose safety hazards.

Geodiversity elements

Spatial type Scale Relevance Name Descriptions
group of surfaces 10-100m ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
❌ Cultural 		Miocene sands and silts
Images (0) No images for this element.
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Sedimentation of Miocene sands and silts Miocene sands and silts Sedimentary, Stratigraphic
Theme images (0)
Time scales (2)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Sedimentation passive million-year 23 Ma, lower Miocene 15 Ma, lower Miocene
Formation of landslides active century 1925 present
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.
group of surfaces km ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
❌ Cultural 		Glacial sands and gravels
Images (1)
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Glacial sedimentation Glacial sands and gravels Sedimentary
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Sedimentation of glacial deposits during the Vistulian glaciation passive hundred thousand-year 30 ka 15 ka
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.
group of surfaces km ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
❌ Cultural 		Glacial tills
Images (0) No images for this element.
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Glacial sedimentation Glacial tills Sedimentary
Theme images (0)
Time scales (2)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Sedimentation of glacial deposits during the Vistulian glaciation passive hundred thousand-year 30 ka 15 ka
Formation of landslides active century 1925 present
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.
group of surfaces 10-100m ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
❌ Cultural 		Marls, limestones, and writing chalk of the Maastrichtian Cretaceous
Images (0) No images for this element.
Themes and processes (3)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Sedimentation of marls, limestones, and writing chalk in a shallow sea (Maastrichtian, Cretaceous) Marls, limestones, and writing chalk of the Maastrichtian Sedimentary
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Sedimentation of Maastrichtian marls (Cretaceous) passive million-year 72 Ma 66 Ma
Thrusting and deformation of Cretaceous marls within a glacial raft Glacial raft Structural
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Glacitectonic deformations during the Vistulian and earlier glaciations passive hundred thousand-year 400 ka 15 ka
Mining of Maastrichtian marls for cement production Quarry Economic, Engineering
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Mining of Cretaceous marls in quarries passive century second half of the 19th century 1945
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.
group of surfaces m ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
❌ Cultural 		Landslides
Images (2)
Zdjęcie elementu
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Landslide Landslide niche Structural
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Formation of landslides active century 1925 present
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.
group of surfaces m ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
✅ Cultural 		Spoil heaps Mining of Maastrichtian marls for cement production
Images (0) No images for this element.
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Mining of Maastrichtian marls for cement production Heap Economic, Engineering
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Formation of spoil heaps during mining activity passive century second half of the 19th century 1945
Biocultural components (1)
Component Description Time scale Begin End
Heaps Spoil heaps, today used partly as viewpoints century second half of the 19th century 1945
surface m ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
✅ Cultural 		Inactive quarries
Images (1)
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Mining of Maastrichtian marls for cement production Inactive quarries Economic, Engineering
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Mining of Cretaceous marls in quarries passive century second half of the 19th century 1945
Biocultural components (1)
Component Description Time scale Begin End
Inactive quarries Quarries of Maastrichtian marls for cement production century second half of the 19th century 1945
point m ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
❌ Cultural 		Spring and landslide Uncontrolled groundwater discharge led to the flooding of the Cretaceous marl quarry
Images (1)
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (2)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Groundwater discharge Spring Uncontrolled groundwater discharge led to the flooding of the Cretaceous marl quarry Geohistorical, Hydrological
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Groundwater discharge active century 1925 present
Landslide Landslide niche Geomorphological
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Formation of landslides passive year 1950 1960
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.
group of points m ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
✅ Cultural 		Viewpoints View towards the inactive quarry
Images (2)
Zdjęcie elementu
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Mining of Maastrichtian marls for cement production Viewpoint located on the edge of an inactive quarry Economic, Engineering
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Mining of Cretaceous marls in quarries passive century second half of the 19th century 1945
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.
group of points m ❌ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
✅ Cultural 		Former mining facilities Mining of Maastrichtian marls for cement production
Images (1)
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (0) No themes for this element.
Biocultural components (1)
Component Description Time scale Begin End
Former mining facilities century second half of the 19th century 1945
group of points mm ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
❌ Cultural 		Erratic boulders
Images (0) No images for this element.
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Glacial sedimentation Erratic boulders Sedimentary
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Sedimentation of glacial deposits during the Vistulian glaciation passive hundred thousand-year 30 ka 15 ka
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.
point mm ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
✅ Cultural 		Viewpoint View from the spoil heap towards Szczecin
Images (1)
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Formation of spoil heaps resulting from Maastrichtian marl mining for cement production Viewpoint on a spoil heap Engineering
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Formation of spoil heaps during mining activity passive century second half of the 19th century 1945
Biocultural components (1)
Component Description Time scale Begin End
Viewpoint overlooking the center of Szczecin year 1945 present
point mm ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
✅ Cultural 		Viewpoint View from the morainic hill towards Szczecin
Images (1)
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (1)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Glacial sedimentation Formation of morainic hills during the Vistulian glaciation and earlier glaciations Sedimentary
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Glacitectonic deformations during the Vistulian and earlier glaciations passive hundred thousand-year 400 ka 15 ka
Biocultural components (1)
Component Description Time scale Begin End
Viewpoint overlooking the center of Szczecin This is the hill where the destroyed Baresel Tower once stood year 1945 present
line 10-100m ✅ Abiotic
✅ Biotic
✅ Cultural 		Trail around the lake, leading to the springs and landslides
Images (1)
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (0) No themes for this element.
Biocultural components (2)
Component Description Time scale Begin End
Inactive quarries century second half of the 19th century present
View of the Bukowa Forest Plant communities of the Bukowa Forest century 1945 present
line 10-100m ✅ Abiotic
❌ Biotic
❌ Cultural 		Trail along the edge of the quarry wall and along the landslides
Images (1)
Zdjęcie elementu
Themes and processes (2)
Process Feature name Description Classification
Mining of Maastrichtian marls for cement production Inactive quarry Economic
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Mining of Cretaceous marls in quarries passive century second half of the 19th century 1945
Landslide Landslide niche Sedimentary, Structural
Theme images (0)
Time scales (1)
Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Formation of landslides active year 1925 present
Biocultural components (0) No biocultural components for this element.

Geosite map

Geosite summary

Themes and processes (8)

Process Feature Description
Sedimentation of Miocene sands and silts Miocene sands and silts
Glacial sedimentation Glacial sands and gravels
Mining of Maastrichtian marls for cement production Heap
Landslide Landslide niche
Sedimentation of marls, limestones, and writing chalk in a shallow sea (Maastrichtian, Cretaceous) Marls, limestones, and writing chalk of the Maastrichtian
Thrusting and deformation of Cretaceous marls within a glacial raft Glacial raft
Groundwater discharge Spring Uncontrolled groundwater discharge led to the flooding of the Cretaceous marl quarry
Formation of spoil heaps resulting from Maastrichtian marl mining for cement production Viewpoint on a spoil heap

Time scales (8)

Process Is active Time scale Begin End
Sedimentation passive million-year 23 Ma, lower Miocene 15 Ma, lower Miocene
Formation of landslides active century 1925 present
Sedimentation of glacial deposits during the Vistulian glaciation passive hundred thousand-year 30 ka 15 ka
Formation of spoil heaps during mining activity passive century second half of the 19th century 1945
Sedimentation of Maastrichtian marls (Cretaceous) passive million-year 72 Ma 66 Ma
Glacitectonic deformations during the Vistulian and earlier glaciations passive hundred thousand-year 400 ka 15 ka
Mining of Cretaceous marls in quarries passive century second half of the 19th century 1945
Groundwater discharge active century 1925 present

Biocultural components (5)

Component Description Time scale Begin End
Heaps Spoil heaps, today used partly as viewpoints century second half of the 19th century 1945
Inactive quarries Quarries of Maastrichtian marls for cement production century second half of the 19th century 1945
Former mining facilities century second half of the 19th century 1945
Viewpoint overlooking the center of Szczecin year 1945 present
View of the Bukowa Forest Plant communities of the Bukowa Forest century 1945 present