Occupying forests till victory!

European goals, Polish reality

The European Union requires member states to strictly protect at least 10% of their land area by 2030 as part of the Biodiversity Strategy.  In Poland, only 1% is protected. In valuable forests there is plenty of logging: including trees with nests of protected birds, or close to the habitat of bears.

With the support of Het Actiefonds, Wild Resistance already organised forest occupations in 2022 and 2023. These left a big impression on the political opposition of that time – so much that protecting Poland’s primeval forests became a central theme in the 2024 election campaigns.

After the elections, a new coalition came to power that made forest protection a central theme in their policy. The new climate and environment minister announced that ten forests would be excluded from logging for the time being.

Forest occupations in Bukowa and Ślęża

While this is a first step in the right direction, it is a measure that is easily reversible, and the logging lobby in Poland remains powerful. Until the most important old growth forests have become protected nature reserves with clear management plans, Wild Resistance will continue to campaing. In 2024, with the support of Het Actiefonds, they organised three major actions.

First, they occupied the Bukowa Forest, in one of the country’s last natural forests. Major Polish TV stations reported, and politicians from five left-wing parties came to show support. Together with people from local towns, Wild Resistance activists scratched all the markings of trees that were to be cut down – a small but effective gesture that was replicated in several places in Poland.

The second action took place on Ślęża Mountain – a place of spiritual and ecological value for many Poles. There, with a forest occupation, they demanded the extension of the existing nature reserve, which currently covers only the top of the mountain, to the entire mountain and all its forests. This action also received a lot of media attention and led to the creation of a local working group that is now campaigning for the recognition as a nature reserve of the whole mountain, and for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Blockade at the ministry

For the third action, the group went to the policymakers themselves: together with two other collectives, they blocked the Ministry of Climate and Environment in Warsaw. Using concrete barrels, chains and U-locks, they barred the entrance and demanded a halt to logging in all old growth forests. They also dropped a 20-metre-long banner from a Warsaw bridge for thousands to see.

Direct action works!

The fact that forest management is now such a central issue in Polish politics is because of bottom-up actions. The climate and environment minister has made a direct link between the continuing forest occupations and the proposed new plans for protecting Poland’s forests. These are the result of continual pressure, resistance and solidarity! Het Actiefonds is very proud to have supported these actions and remains in solidarity with all groups working for forest and biodiversity protection!