Abstract
The Białowieża Forest is a part of UNESCO heritage. In 2015, when the Polish Minister of Environment allowed the mass logging in a protection zone of the forest and in the forest itself, as the ecologists proved, he explained these actions as “protecting” the forest from the bark beetle. The plan executed by the Ministry resulted in a deep conflict between the government and the citizens. The article that we present demonstrates a historical overview of the forest management, as well as contemporary conflict relating to this area occurring in Poland. Not only did this conflict appear to be serious for Polish citizens, but it also engaged the EU institutions.
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It should be noted that the term “pest” is relative and depending on the parties to the dispute. For example, the bark beetle is treated as a “pest” primarily by the foresters, since this species, attacking spruces, contributes to the death of trees and makes tangible (and quantifiable) economic damage. Supporters of passive protection (which means the refrain from intervention in natural processes) generally do not treat bark beetles in these categories. For them it is another species living in the ecosystem and its gradations are treated as “normal” natural process. A similar problem with the “dead wood” also requires an explanation. For the large part of the active protection supporters it is a manifestation of wastage of forest resources. On the other hand, the organizations opting for passive protection of the forest see it as a habitat for many valuable species (e.g., insects, fungi, plants, etc.).
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Note that Białowieża Forest was divided by the state border after the war in 1945.
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Forest Management Plan.
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CJEU—Court of Justice of the European Union
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Żmihorski et al. (2018)
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Bieńkowska, M., Faszcza, Ł., Wołyniec, Ł. (2019). Movement to Defend the Białowieża—The Problem of the Białowieża Forest Protection as an Example of a Values Conflict. In: Methi, J., Sergeev, A., Bieńkowska, M., Nikiforova, B. (eds) Borderology: Cross-disciplinary Insights from the Border Zone. Springer Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99392-8_3
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