The UNESCO World Heritage Committee adopted a decision that recommends limiting any future logging in Białowieża Forest to necessary safety measures and activities related to nature conservation during this week’s summit in Azerbaijan. 

ClientEarth, a Non-profit environmental law organisation which led legal action last year to stop illegal logging in the forest, says that UNESCO’s warning sends a clear message to the Polish government to put conversation first in Białowieża.

If Poland fails to comply with these recommendations, the forest will be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Significant damage

Białowieża Forest is one of the last remaining natural forests in Europe and has been included on the World Heritage List for forty years because of its exceptional natural value and biodiversity.

Yet in recent years its woodlands have suffered significant damage due to intensive logging while it has been managed by State Forests, a government-owned organisation charged with timber production.

ClientEarth wildlife lawyer Agata Szafraniuk said: “The decision of World Heritage Committee sends a clear message to the Polish government: any and all activities in the Białowieża Forest must put nature conservation first. The only one exception is when human safety might be at risk.

“We hope that Poland’s Ministry of Environment and State Forests will respect the decision. If not, Białowieża Forest may be put on the List of World Heritage in Danger, which would be an international shame for Poland.”

Logging in Białowieża sparked massive protests and prompted local campaigners to send a complaint to the European Commission. The logging was eventually declared illegal by the Court of Justice of the EU. Since then, UNESCO has been closely monitoring the situation in the forest. 

New permits

Current recommendations of the World Heritage Committee were based on the findings of IUCN and UNESCO experts who went on a mission to Białowieża in 2018.

The Committee’s decision comes at a time when State Forests are reportedly finishing preparations to recommence logging in Białowieża. 

New logging permits, which will allow them to do so, are awaiting the approval of the Minister of Environment.

This Author 

Brendan Montague is editor of The Ecologist. This article is based on a press release from ClientEarth