Regional differences in the pro-ecological measures of the 2007-2013 RDP in Poland

The article deals with regional differences in the use of the EU funds allocated to pro-ecological measures in Poland. The research covers support for land management in mountain areas and other less-favoured areas (LFAs), agri-environmental programme, afforestation of agricultural and non-agricultural land implemented under the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme. The analysis was made by voivodeships on the basis of data from the Agency for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture and Statistics Poland. Ward’s method was used for the division of voivodeships into groups with similar intensity of absorption of funds from pro-ecological measures. Three groups of voivodeships, most similar internally and with the largest differences between them were selected. It has been stated that the highest level of use of RDP funds concerned the voivodeships of northern and western Poland, while their lowest use was in the voivodeships of the south-eastern part of the country and in Łódź.