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“Whenever I hear cracking of trees, my heart is bleeding,” says Adam Bohdan, while he patrolled through Białowieża jungle in deep norast of Poland. The activist is here to protect ancient oaks from deforestation. From his place of residence, city of Białystok, it is only about 80 kilometers to forest. His equipment includes a GPS device, a camera, a walkie-talkie, a telephone and metal chains. By radio He is constantly in contact with or activists, ready to block one of forestry machines that have made one of Europe’s last primeval forests smaller for months tree by tree.
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Since spring, biologist has been documenting almost daily how foresters with permission from Polish government cut down trees that are partly over 100 years old. “Again and again I discover new clearings,” says Bohdan. “For me se places seem like cemeteries.” How many trees fall exactly is hard to say. The environmental activists estimate that in summer of 2017, up to 300 trees were felled every day.
The argument bark beetle plague
Poland’s right-wing Conservative government (set up by PiS party) had decided in spring of 2016 that between 2012 and 2023 188,000 cubic metres of wood in Białowieża may be beaten. This is three times amount originally allowed and also concerns areas that were previously under protection. Environment Minister Jan Szyszko justifies this with a bark beetle plague. The authorities prevented beetles from becoming more and more trees and destroying m.
The bark beetle is a natural resident of many forests and fulfils an important function in ir ecosystems. If he falls into weakened trees, y usually die. Dead, rottinged Wood also decomposed faster when beetles get over it. This helps to create space for new plants. Healthy trees, on or hand, can usually fend off ir own strength. They kill beetles with resin as soon as y drill into bark to lay eggs.
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The activists in Białowieża also know that. “The bark beetle has been here for years. The forest has always been clear, because it regenerates itself, “says Adam Bohdan. German environmental organisations, including Nabu, German nature conservation ring and WWF, are also in danger of forest. “We are very concerned about wood precipitation in Białowieża, which not only threatens protected species, but can also destroy a common European cultural heritage,” y wrote in an open letter to Polish ambassador in Berlin in early November.
A home for tens of thousands of species
The Białowieżaerstreckt is located on almost 1,500 square kilometers along border between Poland and Belarus. More than a third of forest area, about 600 square kilometers, is on Polish side. UNESCO has declared Białowieża a World Heritage site, and some areas in a national park are particularly protected. While Belarus has placed its part of forest completely under nature conservation, only 15 percent are protected on Polish soil.
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Thanks to rare interventions by humans, a diverse ecosystem has developed over millennia in Białowieża. More than 20,000 species of animals are at home here, including Wisent, which is almost nowhere else. It is considered to be largest country mammal in Europe and has been taking refuge in Poland and Belarus ‘ primeval forest since 18th century. In First World war species almost died out, after Second World War reintroduction attempts and stocks recovered slowly.
“These measures, which also include removal of centuries-old trees, represent a significant threat to integrity of this Natura 2000 area,” EU Commission wrote in a communication in mid-July and sued Poland before European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg. It furr stated in communication: “The Natura 2000 area provides protection for species and habitats dependent on old-wood stocks, including Deadwood. For some of se species, Białowieża forest is most important or last remaining area in Poland. ” The Commission has found that deforestation does not ensure that forest remains intact. In addition, Polish Government did not fully examine consequences before its decision.
