Prof. Tomasz Wesołowski on Białowieża Forest:
Situated on the border between Poland and Belarus, the Bialowieza Forest complex (1506km2) is a relic of lowland European forests that once extended across the continent. It is a place in which the last fragments of primaeval temperate oldgrowth forest have survived. It is home to many species extinct elsewhere (among others - Wisent, the largest terrestrial mammal of Europe) and one of very few places where evolution has not been ceased. The stands of primeval characters are a sort of unparalleled living museum, offer us a window into the past, through which we can still observe how forests ecosystems functioned without human interference. Thus, preservation of these unique qualities for the future should be an issue of highest priority, if we are really to deserve our scientific name of sapiens (reasonable) man.
The forest is important for biodiveristy conservation. Only on account of its diversified avifauna the forest should be preserved as a site of global significance for bird protection (BirdLife International criteria). Yet, it is not only single rare species but whole bird assemblages showing primaeval characters (high diversity, low numbers) which are to be preserved. The diversity of other animal and plant taxa, is equally high, especially weighty are species depending on oldgrowth or decaying wood. It is also of vital relevance for biological sciences. If we want understand evolution, if we want to restore Europe's nature we must have a reference site, a yard-stick with which to measure amount of anthropogenic change. It has the same value for biological science as Hubble telescope has for astronomy or CERN lab for particle physics. The only difference is that in the case of CERN or Hubble destruction we could build their replicas, whereas the loss of primaeval forest would be irreversible. Last but not least, the primeval forest with its huge old trees (tallest spruces exceed 55 m, tallest oaks exceed 40 m height), being inspiration for generations of people constitutes also an important part of our historical/cultural heritage.
Since the XVI century till the World War I the Forest had been protected as hunting grounds of ruling families. Only during that war the commercial, large-scale logging operations begun. After the World War Second, the forest has been split between Poland (45% of area) and Belarus. In the Belarussian part timber extraction was less important, and since a few years ago the whole area of that part was declared a national park. On the other hand, in the Polish part, except of Bialowieza National Park covering only 8% of area, the commercial cuttings have been continued. In spite of merely 80 years of exploitation, timber extraction have had the dramatic effect on the Forest. During that time majority of primaeval stands were removed and replaced by even-aged, mostly coniferous plantations, and share of old-growth stands of natural origin has dropped to a mere 20%. In spite of some recent restrictions (see below) this removal of remnants of primaeval stands is going on. If we are unable to arrest this process, all stands of natural origin will be gone in the coming years, and the last European primaeval forest will be only history.
Since almost ten years we have been campaigning to set a ban on cutting old stands and enlargement of the Bialowieza National Park so to protect the whole forest complex, but till now with a limited success. The only results so far is a partial ban on cutting the largest specimens of oaks and of some other species of trees (since July 1995) and partial enlargement of the Bialowieza National Park area (August 1996, it includes now 18.1% of the Forest area). Though, virtually all bodies of conservation experts (State Council on Nature Protection, Nature Protection and Forestry Sciences Committees of the Polish Academy of Sciences, General Assembly of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Scientific Council of the Bialowieza National Park), Environment Protection Committees of Sejm (lower chamber) and Senat (upper chamber) of the Polish Parliament, numerous conservation NGO's claim univocally the urgent need to protect the whole area, though several hundred thousands of letters of protest were send by concerned citizens to our government, the forestry administration is against, and continues with destruction. Still over 80% of the Forest area logging is being continued. The foresters claim that they do it in new "ecological" way, what means that instead of former clear-cuts you now are allowed to cut only 90% of stands (80% in nature reserves). As the logging operations are concentrated in the remnants of natural oldgrowth stands (plantations are still too young to provide valuable timber) they will be gone in the coming years. We treat this as the single most environmentally destructive undertaking in Europe. There is no justifiable explanation for ravaging this invaluable fragment of wilderness for the interest of just one generation.
It seems that we have already exhausted possibilities of influencing our politicians. Thus, we ask you for help in our campaign to save the forest. So if you could inform your public opinion about the Bialowieza Forest problem, spread the news to your decision-makers (politicians and bankers) and journalists, and make them to act, we would be really grateful. Please, take into account that the Bialowieza Forest has been officially declared by Poland "The World Heritage Site". Thus, it is not only an internal affair of Poland, every human being has been given right to be concerned and act. Please note as well, that if the primaeval forest is lost, it is not only our, Polish failure, we all will loose.
What we want to achieve? To save the Bialowieza forest it is necessary to protect whole its area in the highest possible form. According to the Polish law, the highest form of protection is granted to areas declared as national parks. All human activities within the national parks have to be subordinated to the demands of nature conservation. No other form of protection (area of protected landscape, landscape park) sets so stringent conditions, and "biosphere reserve" has no meaning in the Polish legal system. Hence, the status of national park is exactly was is necessary to save the Bialowieza Forest. Therefore, our goal is to persuade the Polish government to include the whole area of Forest into the Bialowieza National Park. As a minimum, we expect the Polish authorities to resign from plans of removal of - now in force - ban on timber cutting in all oldgrowth stands of natural and semi-natural character in the Forest. We also expect a declaration of intentions, in which the unique value of Bialowieza Forest would be fully recognised and a clear statement of intentions to protect the whole area will be made. Both these steps can be made instantly, as they do not involve spending any money. The enlargement of the Park would, however, demand raising additional funds on conservation (see below). The final, furthest reaching aim of our campaign is to create a trans-boundry national park in which both Polish and Belarusian parts of Bialowieza Forest would be protected. This would of course demand co-operation of governments of the two countries.
From the administrative point of view the enlargement of the park will not
be difficult, as there is no issue of changes in ownership involved. Whole Bialowieza
forest constitutes already public (state) property, thus the enlargement of
the park would denote only replacement of one manager (administration of state
forests) by another (national park service), actually a change between two departments
within the same ministry.
There is no detailed estimate of costs of operation of enlarged national park
available at the moment. It is nevertheless possible to offer some rough estimates
of order of magnitude of the necessary spendings. If we add operating costs
of all forestry districts in Bialowieza Forest to operating costs of the existing
national park we arrive at a figure of 6.6 mln US $/ year (data from 1995).
About 40% of those costs constitute salaries of staff and workers (approximately
500 people). This budget item would not change as most of those people would
find employment in the enlarged park. There are however, some costs connected
with e.g. logging operations which cease to exist in the park. There will be
also some benefits from increased tourism and sale of wood extracted during
re-naturalisation of plantations, which would decrease the demand for budget
subventions. The reasonable maximum estimate would amount to ca 5 mln $/year.
This is still a substantial amount, thus, it seems fair to expect some form
of international support to generate necessary resources to manage the park.
We are running against time. Bialowieza Forest cannot wait - all the time stands
of natural origin are annihilated, huge trees 200-300 years old are still logged
and removed from the forest. Please do all what you can to stop this processes.
If you need further information do not hesitate to ask:
Tomasz Wesolowski, Department of Avian Ecology, Wroclaw University, Sienkiewicza 21, 50 335 Wroclaw, Poland <tomwes@biol.uni.wroc.pl>
Mr Leszek Miller
Prime Minister
Kancelaria Premiera,
Al. Ujazdowskie 1/3,
PL 00 583 Warszawa, Poland
Leszek Miller<leszek.miller@miller.pl>
or Leszek Miller <cirinfo@kprm.gov.pl>
Dear Mr Prime Minister,
I am writing to you in order to express my concern regarding the last temperate oldgrowth forest in Europe - the Bialowieza Forest. It is the last lowland primaeval forest, home to many species extinct elsewhere and one of very few species in Europe where three and half million years long evolution has not been ceased. It provides an ecological blue-print for the restoration of European nature. In the light of these facts, the continued logging of this magnificent forest is the single most environmentally destructive undertaking in Europe.
While I am sympathising with the Polish people struggling in their difficult economic situation, there is no justifiable explanation for ravaging this invaluable fragment of wilderness for the interest of one generation.
It is my greatest hope, that you, Sir, as the Prime Minister of Poland will show an outstanding leadership to immediately stop the destruction, declare the entire Bialowieza Forest a national park and thus, ensure the natural richness of our planet Earth.
Thank you for your time and assistance. I am waiting to hear from you as quickly as possible.
Yours sincerely