“Starting discussions in the European Parliament regarding amendments to the treaty could result, among other things, in the inclusion of forests in public policy,” said presidential advisor Paweł Sałek before the conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the State Forest.

Before the conference, Paweł Sałek, who heads the presidential council for environment, energy and natural resources, stressed that Poland’s model of environmental protection and forest management is unique on a European and global scale.

Sustainable forest management has been carried out in Poland since the inception of the State Forest, combining timber harvesting with tourism and nature functions, related to environmental protection, protection of nature and species.

– said the presidential adviser.

Forests in Poland are free

He added that in Poland most forests belong to the state and access to forests is free.

Sałek noted that Wednesday’s conference aims to start a big debate at the national level regarding what Poland’s forests, namely a third of the country’s territory, will look like in the future, and how the state will influence the functioning of forests “from the ownership, substantive, ecological side.

What has been ignored in Poland is a topic that has been discussed in the EU for more than a year, namely treaty changes. Currently in the European Parliament there is a debate in the constitutional committee, which initiates procedures related to treaty amendments, namely the creation of new sources of law at the level of the European community. This means that certain areas currently clearly allocated to Member States, such as land, water, forestry, forests, nature, in accordance with the provisions and proposals appearing in the EP, can be assigned to Community Policies.

– he says.

As a result of external regulations, we will lose the right to apply our own ecological and natural thinking, which we have formed over generations.

– Sałek pointed out.

In January this year the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the European Parliament issued a positive opinion regarding amendments to the treaty, which would shift forestry from a national competence to a so-called shared competence between the EU and Member States. Unanimous consent of all Community countries is required to amend the treaty.

Anna Moscow, Minister of Climate and Environment, who was present at the conference, stated that “we are starting a big debate on forest management.” He pointed out that 100 years ago what we use and continue to this day was born.

Poland with the best forest management

Today, 100 years later, we care about the same things and think the same things (…), continuing this great work

– he says.

The minister assessed that Poland has the best and most comprehensive forest management in Europe. He also thanked the State Forest for providing 30 percent of the funds allocated for environmental protection.

No other European country can boast of this

– he judged.

Let’s think about how to do forest management better, so that the next generation – like us today – can meet in 100 years and say: they did a good job, forest management went well.

– Moscow asked the audience.

The Moscow minister thanked the forestry experts for their daily work, commitment and determination – “despite various difficulties”. He emphasized that this is especially important “in recent years (…) when forestry officers’ uniforms were often spat on, unfair negative opinions emerged.”

State Forests informs that Poland is one of the European leaders in terms of forest area. Currently, it covers more than 9.2 million hectares in Poland, which is equivalent to 29.6% forest cover. Most of these forests are state forests, of which more than 7.3 million hectares are managed by the State Forest National Forest Agency.

READ MORE: Sejm to tackle citizen’s bill to defend Poland’s forests! Half a million Poles signed this initiative

PAP/editor