The decision on the suspension or limitation of the clippings in 10 valuable forests was one of the first taken by new The management of the Ministry of the Climate after the election. In January 2024, Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska signed a moratorium covering a total of 1.3 percent. area of state forests.
Among them there are extremely valuable natural areas, like forests on Podlasie and Podkarpaciespa forests, as well as eagerly visited forests near Gdańsk and Wroclaw. They are protected, among others Parts of the Carpathian Forest, for which social workers and spa forests with a unique microclimate (e.g. around Iwonicz-Zdrój) fought for years.
Temporary moratorium extended (with slight changes) in September and at the moment it is to apply until these forests are constantly protected. When this happens – it is not known yet. The management of the State Forests came out with its own initiative to establish “forest forest districts” where the moratorium is binding today, but the details of this idea are also unknown.
Throughout the prohibition of clippings in valuable forests, it was criticized by Law and Justice politicians. The ministry and Deputy Minister Mikołaj Dorożała, who was responsible for the forests, heard from them that the decision is ill -considered at an economic angle, hits the forest inspectorates and local forest companies. They also asked the ministry many times about how it estimates the influence of the moratorium on the acquisition of wood and local businesses. Shortly after the minister's order was issued, there were also protests in Podkarpacie, where some forests protected by its decision are located.
This week, the climate ministry has published data on the acquisition of wood in the forest districts covered by the moratorium.
Acquiring wood despite the moratorium
On a scale of the whole country – informs the ministry – the acquisition of wood by 154 thousand. cubic meters. It's 0.4 percent complete acquisition last year. The ministry also points out that “381 thousand m3 of wood was obtained in the forest districts not covered by a moratorium than the basic plan for 2024”, so the effects of the decision are smaller than typical fluctuations in making plans by foresters.
Exclusions from the economy based on the decision are not evenly distributed throughout the country – the most fell on the province. Podlasie and Podkarpackie. However, according to the ministry and there it “did not affect” forest management.
“In 8 forest districts covered by a moratorium in the Regional Directorate of State Forests Krosno (Podkarpackie Voivodeship) Forest Services Zakłady Forest Services completed contracts with a considerable surplus in 2024. In Bircza, Lutowiska and Rymanów, a 100 % plan of obtaining wood was made. In Baliggród 101 percent, in Dukla, 99 percent, Stuposianach 84 percent and Cisna 80 percent. ”
– we read in a message. It was also emphasized that “with a considerable surplus” contracts were completed with the Forest Services Zakłady, which the State Forests order cutting and the removal of wood. In Podlasie – according to the department's data – 6 forest districts covered by the moratorium made plans to obtain at 100 percent, and 6 consecutive – not less than 90 percent.
– When making a decision about the moratorium, we believed that nature protection can be combined with the interests of people, including the State Forests and the wood industry, and we were not mistaken, we prove that forest economy can be conducted in a fully balanced and socially responsible manner – commented in the press release of the deputy minister.
However, the ministry did not provide forecasts for the future, and therefore how the moratorium will affect the economy in these forest districts in subsequent years. It is possible that as part of the announced forest forest districts there will be a change in the plans of the forest device, i.e. documents accepted for 10 years, according to which forest management is conducted.
Troubles of the furniture industry
Last year, a lot appeared in the media information about the problems of the furniture industry and dismissals in large companies. But the ministry argues that this is not related to the moratorium, but with other factors. On the one hand, the industry is influenced by general economic issues, such as labor costs and electricity prices, on the other – this is related to competition from other countries, the influence of Russia's war with Ukraine or the problems of the German economy.
The industry also says that it is more difficult to compete for the price of wood in Poland. But the climate ministry again argues that this, firstly, has nothing to do with the moratorium – which practically did not affect the acquisition of wood – and secondly in 2024 the price fell compared to 2023.