The value of Białowieża National Park for the development of biological sciences

Białowieża National Park has been explored by researches since its very beginning. The role of the Park for the development of biological sciences is based on very good preservation of forest ecosystems, which have retained their primeval character. These woodstands have a very complicated spatial structure, and biodiversity of their fungi, flora and fauna are extremely rich. As soon as in 1930'ties the first scientific institution was developed in Białowieża: a branch of the State Forest Research Institute. After World War II were founded: Mammal Research Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Białowieża Geobotanical Station of Warsaw University, and Laboratory of Plants Demography of Botanical Institute of PAS. The most important are long-term studies based on permanent plots, and monitoring of natural processes progressing in the forest ecosystems. The oldest research plots were established as early as in 1936. The bibliography of Białowieża National Park studies is composed of 2300 original articles and books. A lot of them were pioneering research works on the national and international scale