Poland is preparing to resume deforestation in the Białowieża Gorge, reports the British broadcaster BBC.
The Białowieża Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, became a source of controversy between Poland and the European Union (EU) between 2016 and 2018.
In 2018, felling was suspended because the European Court of Justice concluded that the Polish government had violated European Union norms by cutting down trees older than 100 years.
The court said that Poland must stop cutting immediately or that it will be fined.
The Polish government claims that the felling is necessary to prevent damage from the eight-toothed bark beetle, to clear the trails and to reduce the risk of forest fires.
The BBC reports that officials plan to increase tree felling, and the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment has already approved new quotas.
The Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment told reporters that the signing of documents on new felling works did not violate the ruling of the EU court.
He pointed out that the EC had problems with the proposed quotas in one of the three forestry areas in Białystok.
The official said that in other areas, clearing will not begin until the end of the wild bird breeding season and in those parts of the forest that are more than a hundred years old.
But a spokesman for the NGO Wild Poland Foundation said the decision was a “spit in the face.”
“We will try to persuade the responsible authorities to stop the felling,” he said.
Another NGO, ClientEarth, said the plans were poorly prepared and would also lead to the felling of protected trees.
The Białowieża Garden has a unique flora and fauna, including the continent’s largest mammal, the bison, or European bison.
Scientists, ecologists and the EU consider the deforestation to be unjustified and activists say it has commercial intent.
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