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Poland's Bialowieza: Losing the forest and the trees

Marder, Michael
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2017/05/poland-bialowieza-losing-forest-trees-170528104004463.html

Publisher:  Al Jazeera
Date Written:  30/05/2017
Year Published:  2017  
Resource Type:  Article

Article takes a closer look at official explanations for the Polish government's decision to log a primaeval forest, a practice which sacrifices the long-term wellbeing of ecosystems for short-term pragmatic concerns.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt: As of January 1 of this year, Poland has become the European front line in the war on the environment, and, particularly, on plant life. On that day, the so-called Szyszko's Law, named after Polish Minister of Environment Jan Szyszko, came into effect. According to the provisions of this law, owners need not inform the authorities if they plan to cut down trees growing on their privately held lands, nor are they required to do any replanting to offset tree felling.

Currently, the state itself is engaged in a massive logging programme at the Unesco-protected Bialowieza ecosystem, considered to be Europe's last primaeval forest. Nearly 10,000 acres of Bialowieza is earmarked for logging. Here, too, protests have abounded; earlier this month, hundreds of writers and artists sent an open letter to the Polish authorities imploring them to stop the assault on Bialowieza.
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