Polish foresters protest against logging ban
Employees of the Forestry Services in the Bieszczady Mountains in south-eastern Poland started a protest after the climate minister ordered a freeze in logging activity in 10 of the most valuable natural areas of the country.
Paulina Hennig-Kloska, the minister for climate and environment, issued a decision on January 8, 2024, to halt or restrict logging in 10 designated locations for six months.
The current ruling coalition parties, which took over power from the socially-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party late last year, often criticised what they saw as excessive logging in Polish forests during the PiS rule.
The locations designated by the minister include the most valuable natural areas of the Bieszczady Mountains and a relict forest in the Carpathian Mountains.
The protest is proceeding peacefully and around 180 people are participating, Aleksandra Woloszyn-Kociuba from local police told PAP on Friday.
Andrzej Cebenko, the organiser of the protest, also spoke to PAP about the climate minister's order.
"This decision came out of the blue, since there were no discussions, either with us, the people, or the foresters," he said. "One day the forest authorities were notified by email that they were to remove the Forestry Services from their area. We were left without a job."
Cebenko said that the protest was peaceful. He added that there would be "some obstruction," but that the participants only want to show that there are people working in the forest, for the good of the forest.
The protest is expected to run daily until the end of February this year, from 7am until dusk. (PAP)
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