Working together for resilient forest landscapes

Forests cover around 30% of Polish territory. These include some of the most valuable European forests, with extensive areas of undisturbed wilderness, home to rich and diverse wildlife including European bison, wolves, wild cats, brown bears and lynx. But Polish forests do not receive the legal protection they merit. They are increasingly threatened by climate change: variations in temperature, rainfall and weather patterns are disrupting the natural balance of forest ecosystems. Invasive non-native species are another major threat affecting the biodiversity of Polish forests. New approaches are needed to ensure people and nature can thrive together.

WWF and IKEA began collaborating on forests in Poland in 2020. Drawing on experience from collaboration in other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the partnership aims to help restore and expand biodiversity-rich, resilient Polish forest landscapes, providing equitable economic and social benefits to the people and businesses that depend on them.

Our work focuses on responsible forest management and better protection for old-growth forests and areas of high conservation value in the Eastern Carpathian region – a biodiversity hotspot. Importantly, we are also promoting dialogue between various stakeholders, building the capacity of civil society organizations, and using scientific research to influence policy, management practices and public opinion. Together, we aim to build the foundations for positive change for Poland’s forests.

What we’re doing

Supporting sustainable forestry in the Carpathians

The Eastern Carpathian Mountains contain large forested areas of exceptionally high conservation value – but these forests aren’t receiving the protection they need. There are strong scientific arguments for extending and establishing new national parks and nature reserves, to protect forests and support their resilience as unique areas of biodiversity that shelter rare species of animals and plants. Our goal is to start a multilateral dialogue on further improving sustainable forest management. We believe that the experience and knowledge of all interested parties can contribute to better protection of Polish forest ecosystems, while taking care of the local communities’ needs and providing a sustainable wood supply.

We’re working with forest managers, civil society organizations, local communities, NGOs and scientists to develop a roadmap for better protecting forest landscapes, and a methodology for identifying and mapping old-growth forests and high conservation value areas. This will support the development of new protected areas in the region and offer economic opportunities in one of the poorest regions in the country – for example, by increasing job opportunities in eco-tourism in the villages surrounding Bieszczady National Park.

Facilitating dialogue

To unlock the full value of Poland’s forests for people and nature, constructive dialogue is essential. We are building a dialogue platform that brings together all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, local communities, scientists, and businesses that use timber products. By initiating and facilitating dialogues both at a national level and in the Eastern Carpathians, we can help build trust and find a solutions-oriented way forward.

Strengthening governance

To strengthen forest governance more widely, we’re conducting an in-depth gap analysis of legislation, policies, management and governance structures. From this, we’ll come up with a set of recommendations for improvement. In cooperation with local partners, we’re monitoring forest management practices, particularly in areas of high conservation value, and will share and discuss our findings with forest managers, civil society organizations and local communities.

Building capacity

We’re building the capacity of all stakeholders to engage in sustainable forest management and conservation – but particularly those who are currently under-represented, like local communities and civil society organizations. After carrying out a review of their needs, we’ll develop and deliver capacity building programmes, tools and training materials tailored to different groups. These are likely to cover areas such as communication and negotiation skills, decision- making in conservation and forestry, governance and management structures in the forestry sector.

Securing climate resilience and ecosystem services

We raise awareness of the importance of the multiple ecosystem services that Poland’s forests provide, including their contribution to building climate resilience. We’re carrying out research to build this evidence base, and will use our findings to influence government policy, public opinion and forest management practices on the ground.

For more information

Michelle Slaney
WWF Senior Programme Manager Forests
Michelle.Slaney@wwf.se

 

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