Introduction:
The study areas: three recreation centres – Jezioro Łysina, Stare Błotne and Rów Murckowski have undergone extensive change as a result of intense long-term activity of the mining (mainly coal mining) industry. The paper presents an overview of the three recreation centres mentioned, including their geographical location, administrative data, historical information, environmental characteristics and up-to-date plant distribution and the characteristics of the vegetation of the study areas situated in the centre of Górnośląski Okręg Przemysłowy (GOP – Upper Silesian Industry Area)

Material and Methods:
The paper includes a list of species based on studies of vegetation carried out in vegetation seasons 2005 and 2006 in the study areas and on literature studies concerning environmental characteristics of the study area and the studies of vascular flora to date. A multi-aspect statistical analysis concerning the vascular flora has been carried out and the results have been presented in the form of histograms.

Results:
In the study areas the occurrence of 406 vascular plant species Tracheophyta has been confirmed, among which 338 species have medicinal properties and 142 are used in homeopathy. 11 species are protected by law (4 strictly and 7 partly protected).

Conclusions:
The vegetation of the study areas abounds in various species, with a considerable percentage of medicinal plants. Semi-natural habitats modified by industrial activity within the studied recreation centres in the centre of Górnośląski Okręg Przemysłowy are also crucial for the protection of the precious species (gene resources), including a numerous group of medicinal plants and plants protected by law.