The Bialowieza Primeval Forest

The 8,000 year old ancient woodland of Bialowieza is situated at the actual border zone of Poland and Belarus. The forest covers about 150,000 hectares of which 62,500 hectares are situated in Poland and the other 87,500 hectares in Belarus. Throughout many centuries unique qualities which characterise primeval forest habitats were conserved, thanks to several conditions. As human presence started to influence the natural Bialowieza Forest the so called “Rezerwat ” was erected in 1921. It covered 4,747 hectares in the centre of Bialowieza Primeval Forest and it currently makes up the core area of the Polish Bialowieza National Park (IUCN Cat. II). It is a strict nature reserve and it is generally regarded as the most natural tract of natural lowland forest within West and Central Europe. Just one hundred years ago the entire forest showed similar natural features as the strict reserve of Bialowieza National Park. Due to widescale felling this is not so anymore. A primeval forest is made up of a mosaic of forest ecosystems, which vary according to the soil conditions: dry, wet, humid or low moor-like. Man has not degraded the environment of this reserve and its soil, its hydrological situation and its forest stands. Since elements like trenches are nearly completely absent considerable parts of the forest are periodicall