Demand Logging End In Poland's Bialowieza Forest, Europe's Last Large Old-Growth Forest
By Rainforest Portal
30 May, 2016
Forests.org
Industrial logging recommenced this week in Poland's Bialowieza Forest - the last intact European temperate lowland old-growth natural forest and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is time to end old-growth forest logging in Poland, and globally, to prevent regional ecosystem failure, limit abrupt climate change, and avoid biosphere collapse. As the original source of global industrial ecocide, Europe has a special responsibility to protect its last intact natural ecosystems, particularly as it proselytizes to not-yet over-developed nations to do so. EcoInternet and Dr. Glen Barry have worked for 25 years to end old-growth forest logging, yet despite repeated conservation victories, naturally evolved ecosystems continue to be logged for consumer junk. Please act to fully protect Europe's last large intact temperate lowland forests within an expanded Bialowieza National Park.
The Bialowieza Forest contains Europe's last primeval deciduous forest of the northern temperate zone. Covering over 1600 km2 between Poland and Belarus, Bialowieza Forest is home to more than 5,500 plant species, and 11,564 animal species, including the largest population of free-ranging European Bison. Animals from the large carnivores like Wolves and Lynxes, to the rare nesting songbirds, woodpeckers, and owls all rely on old-growth forests for their habitat. Bialowieza Forest provides a much needed ecological blue-print for the restoration of forests in Europe and the world as a keystone response to limit abrupt climate change and avoid biosphere collapse.
In 2012, the Minister of the Environment approved Forest Management Plans for Bialowieza Forest allowing extraction to 48,500 m3 of timber per year, on average, for the next 10 years. This was justified as a treatment for bark beetle infestation, which is not justified and will quite likely make it worse by weakening further the forest's ecological integrity. In just four years logging has already nearly reached the established 10-year logging limit, and to remain within these limits, logging will have to be abandoned. Yet a new proposal seeks to significantly increase logging by eight-fold, removing protection for old-growth forest stands older than 100 years old. Forestry authorities mistakenly argue that "active management" by harvesting is needed to protect the forest from bark beetle outbreaks and fire risk.
EcoInternet and Dr. Glen Barry have worked successfully for protections in Bialowieza Forest for over a decade and a half, leading international efforts to protect and restore Europe's last old-growth forests. Recently our two decade long international affinity campaign in support of ending Tasmania, Australia's old-growth forest logging resulted in successfully impeding the most recent efforts there to log protected forests. For over 25 years EcoInternet has led an unremitting campaign to end old-growth forest logging, with several dozen specific global forest conservation victories, although sadly ancient forests continue rapidly fading away threatening local ecosystems, abrupt climate change, and biosphere collapse. Join EcoInternet in protecting Europe's last old-growth.