The decision by the Ministry of Climate and Environment comes as a relief to residents who have been fighting a battle for years to limit logging. Among the forests where logging scheduled for 2024 will be restricted is the Tri-City Landscape Park.
TheTri-City Landscape Park is an area that stretches over nearly 20,000 hectares, and includes parts of the areas of Gdynia, Rumia, Szemud and Wejherowo, as well as parts of the areas of Sopot and Gdansk. The scale of the destruction in recent years could be observed by anyone who walks through TPK. Residents, activists, local government officials have called for a halt to the mass f elling. Suffice it to mention that between 2010 and 2020 the felling of beech wood increased by 30 percent.
"it's time to move the saws out of parts of the forests".
A swallow of change is the decision of Climate and Environment Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska, who announced the introduction of logging restrictions in 10 areas in the country: Bieszczady, Borecka Forest, Swietokrzyska Forest, Augustowska Forest, Knyszynska Forest, Karpacka Forest, Romincka Forest, Tri-City Landscape Park, as well as near Iwonicz-Zdrój and Wroclaw. These are the areas of planned national parks, Natura 2000 areas, protected landscape areas, forest promotional complexes. Some of the selected areas are surrounded by agglomerations of many thousands of people, such as Gdansk, Wroclaw and Bialystok. This is of particular importance in adapting to a changing climate and retaining water, thus protecting urban areas from flooding.
- We are moving from words to actions. We have decided to issue the first decision to limit and halt logging of the most valuable forest areas in Poland. It's time to move the saws out of some of Poland's forests, especially those that cut the most valuable natural objects. We are working on a systemic solution, which will include more areas and will be consulted with representatives of the State Forests, local governments and local communities," said Climate and Environment Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska.
The idea is to limit logging in the most valuable parts of forests - old-growth forests aged 100-200 years, water-protective forests and mountain forests. In some cases, the old-growth forests where work has been restricted have unique historical and cultural values, According to the ministry's assurances, the restrictions on logging will not exceed 20-30 percent of planned logging. Why only that much? Because changes in work within such a range are allowed in contracts with contractors.
TPK - good direction, but more bold actions needed
An area of 501 hectares of the Tri-City Landscape Parkwill be excluded from logging .
As Deputy Minister Mikolaj Drozala explained, the Tri-City Forest is an example of a situation where even thetremendous commitment of local authorities has failed to listen to the voice of citizens and naturalists. Due to the ending of the forest management plan, the most valuable sites (501 hectares), located mainly in the Tri-City Landscape Park and its buffer zone, as well as in the Dębogórski Forest and on the Sobieszewska Island, will be protected, precisely selected by the local community. The goal is to preserve the forests of the landscape park, recreational forests for the residents of the Tri-City, and to preserve the forests of the Sopot health resort.
A special tab will be created on the website of the Ministry of Climate and Environment. Through it, you will be able to report on places that are worthy of additional protection.
- We will analyze them carefully. The site will allow us to reach out to local communities in a proactive way," said Deputy Minister Dorozhala.
Ewa Karendys
