“The State Forests took our forests”. Activists are proposing concrete changes, and the CJEU judgment may help

In the case, which will be decided on March 2, the European Commission accused Poland of violating EU environmental law – non-compliance with the requirements of strict species protection during logging and the lack of the right of Polish society to sue forest management plans (so-called PULs). On the basis of 10-year PULs, logging is carried out in individual forestry departments. The Commission decided to bring the case (C 432/21) before the Court of Justice of the EU in 2021, following a complaint from the Pracownia dla All Istot, WWF Foundation and the Frank Bold Foundation.

– Forest management requires a thorough reform and amendment of the act on forests. The judgment of the CJEU indicating the non-compliance of the law in Poland may accelerate the necessary changes. The growing number of initiatives to protect local forests and the general consensus among Polish women and men about the need for greater protection of these areas show that the pressure to reform the State Forests will only grow. Poles see the growing scale of logging, the progressive devastation of Polish forests, they see the growing profits of the State Forests, politicization and enfranchisement on common property, the lack of actions to protect nature and they want changes – says Sylwia Szczutkowska from the Workshop for All Beings.

Polish society believes that forests are devastated and there is no way to defend them

cites public opinion polls, according to which 3/4 of Polish women and men want to reduce the area of ​​forests where logging is carried out. The map shows that already in over 340 places in Poland, local efforts are being made to protect forests from logging. A number of people, grassroots movements and organizations actively involved in the defense of Polish forests are waiting for the decisions of the CJEU. Examples include the Wspólny Las group, which tries to save the priceless spa forests around Iwonicza-Zdrój and Rymanów-Zdrój from logging, or the Wild Carpathians Initiative – a grassroots civic movement seeking to protect the Carpathian Forest.

– We do not agree to destroy the last fragments of natural forests, to cut down ancient trees that could become natural monuments, to devastate the habitats of bears or eagles. Unfortunately, this is how State Forests consistently ignore the voice of society and science, which only increases the determination to protest. That is why the civic blockade of logging in the planned Turnicki National Park, in the Przemyśl Foothills, has been going on for 22 months. Thanks to the blockade, a small piece of beautiful forest is preserved, but saws are working all around. This must change, the State Forests must finally come under social control – says Dr. Jakub Rok from the Wild Carpathians Initiative.

In 2017, due to the inadequacy of the law in Poland, it was not possible to defend the Białowieża Forest before Polish courts. The logging at that time was stopped only after the intervention of the CJEU. In the meantime, 200,000 trees have been cut. m3 of trees, half of which in the most valuable, over 100-year-old stands. – Polish women and Poles, as well as organizations must gain the right to a court in order to prevent this type of devastation. It’s like a race against time, because every day the last fragments of natural forests or magnificent old trees are cut down before our eyes. It is also a matter of compliance with EU law and international agreements such as the Aarhus Convention – says Sylwia Szczutowska.

It is time to amend the Forest Act

The Social Act on Forests is a draft prepared by the Pracownia na Pomocy Istot and consulted with the legal community, scientists and environmental organizations. It assumes a change in forest management in favor of forests closer to nature and society.

– Despite the gigantic profits that the State Forests derive from felling and selling public forests, there are no visible effects regarding nature protection. The State Forests institution has been operating as a “state within the state” for decades, having a monopoly on managing 1/4 of Poland’s area. Lack of control leads to numerous abuses. In 2021, the State Forests had PLN 10 billion in revenue, PLN 700 million in profit and absolute freedom in They allocated only 0.5% of their revenues to nature conservation

– points out Augustyn Mikos from the Workshop for All Beings.

The social amendment to the act on forests provides for the possibility of filing complaints against faulty and harmful forest management plans by the society. It introduces the principles of forest management, taking into account the protection of species and the preservation of old-growth forests, as well as care for forests with a special function (e.g. water-protective, soil-protective). It also assumes increased supervision by the minister over the State Forests and an increase in outlays for nature protection from the revenues of the State Forests. The amendment would also introduce monitoring of the acquisition and use of wood as a strategic resource of the state. Monitoring will contribute to curbing illegal timber harvesting (as much as 7% of total timber harvesting in Poland) and better control over the growing consumption of wood in CHP plants (which also poses a threat to the Polish wood processing industry).

The social amendment to the act on forests is an opportunity for forest management conducted with care for nature protection. 20 percent of forests should be phased out gradually by 2030 in line with the EU Forest Strategy and the needs of society. Releasing forests from the pressure of logging is possible without harming the wood industry due to the increase in the growth rate of trees.

– We can obtain the same amount of wood on a smaller area and protect the most valuable natural forests and old-growth forests, such as the Carpathian Forest. Forests are a common good. The adoption of the social amendment to the Act on Forests will give Poles a real impact on public forests and will enable them to conduct forest management with care for nature protection. It is also a guarantee of avoiding conflicts with EU institutions related to the non-adjustment of Polish forest protection regulations to EU environmental directives. The CJEU will settle this dispute on March 2 – says Sylwia Szczutowska.