Movement to defend the Białowieża
the problem of the białowieża forest protection as an example of a values conflict
pp. 31-40
in: Jan Selmer Methi, Andrei Sergeev, Basia Nikiforova (eds), Borderology: cross-disciplinary insights from the border zone, Berlin, Springer, 2019Abstract
The Białowieża Forest is a part of UNESCO heritage. In 2015, when the Polish Minister of Environment allowed the mass logging in a protection zone of the forest and in the forest itself, as the ecologists proved, he explained these actions as "protecting" the forest from the bark beetle. The plan executed by the Ministry resulted in a deep conflict between the government and the citizens. The article that we present demonstrates a historical overview of the forest management, as well as contemporary conflict relating to this area occurring in Poland. Not only did this conflict appear to be serious for Polish citizens, but it also engaged the EU institutions.