PROPOSED PRINCIPLES OF FUNCTIONING FOR THE BIALOWIEZA NATIONAL PARK AFTER ITS EXTENSION TO INCLUDE THE ENTIRE POLISH REGION OF THE BIALOWIEZA PRIMEVAL FOREST

Bogumila Jedrzejewska,
Scientific Council of
the Bialowieza National Park,
Bialowieza,
Poland

A vision of the Bialowieza National Park (BNP) after its enlargement to include the entire Polish side of the Bialowieza Primeval Forest (BPF) was prepared by a working group of the Scientific Council of the Bialowieza National Park. The goals of the park are not exclusively limited to extension and diversification of the conservation subjects (which is necessary because of the uniqueness of the Forest on a European and world-wide scale), but they also consider the needs of the local communities, education, and tourist management. The project has been prepared as a community service by the team, who represented various institutions and consulted with all the stakeholder groups. The main purpose was to elaborate a model of the park which would reconcile all the requirements of nature conservation with social demands so that it would become "a park for life", stimulating sustainable development of the region and being accepted by local people.

ZONING OF THE BIALOWIEZA FOREST

Old tree stump with mushrooms
Figure 10. Old tree stump
with mushrooms (CO)
Graduated protection zones have been proposed: from a strict protection zone (zone I - currently 11% of the park's area, in the future to be increased to 20%); through a passive protection zone (zone II - 35% of the area), in which forestry activity would be excluded, but with public access; to a transition zone (zone III - 18%), with moderate restoration management; to finally a restoration zone (zone IV - 36%), which would meet local demands for wood.

The zones were designed partly on ecological premises (e.g. location of old-growth stands, territories of rare animals, marshes), and partly on social premises (zone IV - located on peripheries, near villages, and in the parts of the forest most seriously modified by human activity).

Spruce forest in winter
Figure 11. Spruce forest in
winter (CO)
While the main purpose of zones I and II is to secure the continuity of natural processes, zone IV will be submitted to intensive restoration management, using advanced multi-purpose forestry techniques. With the exception of zone I (strict nature protection) people will be allowed to pick mushrooms and berries, and collect deer antlers. As a result of restoration management, particularly in zone IV, the supply of firewood and raw material will meet local needs. Logging intensity, in the first year after park enlargement, has been set at 70,000 cubic metres (ca. 60% of present exploitation). Logging will gradually decrease in the future to reflect a decreasing demand for wood caused by changes in local industry and employment structures (including modification due to tourism development).

The Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), inhabitant of natural forests
Figure 12. The Black Stork (Ciconia nigra),
inhabitant of natural forests (PB)
The present principles assume a priority for the protection of all remnants of old-growth as well as for natural renewal and spontaneous natural processes. However, some intervention will be necessary to secure the durability of some aspects of the cultural (man-made) landscape, because of their high biodiversity, landscape, and cultural values. The document pays a great deal of attention to monuments of material and spiritual cultures that testify to the everlasting relationship between humans and the forest.

TOURISM AND EDUCATION

A premise has been that tourism should become one of the most important branches of the regional economy. The project proposes specific solutions to make the region (not only Bialowieza) more attractive, anticipating an information centre at Hajnowka, the main "gateway" to the BPF. Further, each community should have its own entrance to the park, coupled with an information office, a system of tourist trails, and tourist attractions. The programme for tourism development assumes that most tourist investments will be directed towards the edge of the Forest. Such a strategy will stimulate economic development of the neighbouring communities while protecting the most valuable parts of the forest from excessive tourist penetration.

A broad education offering, addressing various age groups of students and adults should be prepared. An active, concerted, policy searching for new partners and customers should lead to an extended tourist season in the BPF region. Such local level education, moulding public awareness and understanding of nature conservation, is of great importance. Within the context of co-operation with Polish and foreign universities, a Bialowieza University of Nature Conservation could be established, organising student training, and courses on ecology, nature and environmental conservation.

FINANCIAL ASPECTS

The annual budget of the park is assessed at 26 mln PLZ (ca. 6 mln US$). The document stresses that, for the BNP to become one of the most important national parks in Europe, additional financial support from the EU and other sources is anticipated. An integral part of the present document is an investment plan for the extended BNP. This plan includes initiatives resulting from a broad programme of regional restructuring that directly or indirectly relate to the BNP extension.

The BNP will become one of the largest institutions in the region and, because of the possible additional financing and tourist developments (due to the enhanced tourist attractions and the higher educational value of the park), will stimulate economic and cultural development of the entire region

OVERALL MANAGEMENT PLAN

The document discusses various aspects of how the park will function, outlining fields of activity, practical measures, limitations and, most importantly, presents a vision of harmony between nature conservation and human livelihoods. The successful implementation of such a broad range of tasks is possible through the employment of the BPF foresters and the use of their professional expertise. A special emphasis has been placed on BNP co-operation with local people, ecological organisations, and the Belarussian State National Park - Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

European bison, Lord of the Primeval Forest
Figure 13. European bison, Lord
of the Primeval Forest (AB)
The principles contained in the present document should secure the sustainability of the BPF conservation area for the future, and make BNP an important factor in enhancing the economy, and cultural and social life of the region. The establishment of a national park covering the entire Polish sector of the BPF should be seen as promoting Poland as an attractive tourist country with strong nature and cultural values. It is postulated that the government of Poland will undertake special measures to support the functioning of the park during the first years after enlargement, and to assist the adaptation processes in the region.