LOCAL CITIZENS ABOUT THE BIAŁOWIEŻA FOREST
Nearly 96 % of the surveyed citizens of the municipalities located in the Białowieża Forest is all for removing dead trees standing along roads and tourist trails in the Białowieża Forest – except the area of national park and reserves – shows the opinion poll taken by PBS (Social Research Department) at the turn of November and December 2017.
The poll was carried out among citizens of three municipalities – Białowieża, Hajnówka and Narewka. These are the people who come across the problems caused by the bark beetle gradation, the dieback of trees, and the threat caused by trees falling on the roads every day.
The research conducted by PBS shows that in the previous year (2017) nearly 86% of the respondents visited the Białowieża Forest, including 100% of surveyed citizens of the Narewka municipality.
The comparison with the Polish nation-wide opinion polls shows that only 1% of the respondents admits visiting the Białowieża Forest within the last year and 74% have never been to the Forest.
Among surveyed citizens of the Białowieża Forest municipalities, nearly 96% approves removing dead trees growing along roads and tourist trails in the Białowieża Forest – except the area of national park and reserves.
A slightly lower number of people (92%) claims that all trees attacked by the bark beetle should be removed within the above mentioned area, so that the remaining healthy trees can be protected.
The poll also included a question about whether to remove trees, except the area of BNP and reserves, for the purpose of active nature protection, that is about whether to implement the Plan of Protection Tasks for Natura 200 area. For 81% of the interviewees such activity is acceptable. Over 70% also agreed that trees should be logged in accordance with the Forest Management Plan.
As many as 75% of the respondents believes that the richness of flora and fauna in the Białowieża Forest should be protected equally with the biological processes involved. However, the statistical distribution of the respondents recognizing only one of the above mentioned elements as important, is similar: 10% is in favour of protecting the ongoing processes in the Białowieża Forest and 8% is for the protection of flora and fauna.
The interviewers asked a question about who, in local citizens’ opinion, should manage the forests of the Białowieża Forest. For 61% of the respondents, current split of duties between the Białowieża National Park (BNP) and the State Forests should remain unchanged. 24% of interviewees believe that this area should be managed exclusively by the State Forests, whereas 10% want BNP to be the only administrator of the Forest.
The poll conducted by the method of direct interview, was taken between November and December 2017. The answers were delivered by 300 citizens (above 15 years old) of three municipalities: Białowieża, Hajnówka and Narewka.
