VIRGIN FORESTS AND FOREST RESERVES IN ... - Natura 2000

COST Action E4: Forest Reserves Research Network • • Proceedings of the Invited Lecturers' Reports ⁄ p. 45 - 66
NATURAL FORESTS AND FORESTS PROTECTED BY LAW IN
POLAND
ABSTRACT
by Roman ZIELONY *
The protection of nature has a long tradition in Poland’s forests. National Parks and
Nature Reserves are particularly important in Polish forest policy of today. In the State
owned forests, as much as 50% (approx. 3,353 M ha) are forests with the dominating
nature protection function.
OUTLINE OF POLAND’S FOREST
Poland is located in the central part of Europe at the transient zone between the oceanic
and continental climates influence. Its geographical situation, the differentiated landscape
following the geological and geomorphologic processes, with 90% of lowland type
landscape, the diversified soil conditions as well as, the uneven spatial distribution of its
inhabitants - all these have contributed to the eventual richness of Poland’s nature. An
important element of Polish landscape and natural richness is the forest that covers an
area of 8.7 million ha which makes 28.1% of the country’s total acreage (GUS 1997).
Forest occurs chiefly in the area either not useful for agriculture or - that of little
demographic density. In the past, forest used to occupy as much as 90% of the total area
of Poland. The deforestation processes had been initiated in the 14 th century and the trend
continued till year 1939. The most intensive deforestation were taking part at the turn of
19 th /20 th centuries. The organised, rational management of forest resources has started in
Polish land, similarly as in other Central European countries, at the turn of 18 th /19 th
centuries. Large has been the impact of the normal forest model implementation on the
today’s state of Poland’s forest. The area of forest has started growing in Poland only
since the year 1945, when the forest landscape level was 20.8% (6.4 million ha). In the
period 1945-1996, the area of Polish forest has increased by 2.3 million ha, and the
standing volume has increased in this period of 662 hm 3 that is 173%. The present
condition of forest is a combined effect of the predominant site conditions, the character
of natural range of the main forest-forming woody tree species: Norway spruce, European
beech, Silver fir and Scots pine; as well as the development trends of agriculture, industry
and forestry.
* Dr. R.Z., Agricultural University SGGW, Department of Forest Management and Forest Geodesy,
Rakowiecka 26/30, 02-528 Warsaw, Poland