FOREST COVER OF POLAND IS CHANGING YEAR AFTER YEAR

The introductory note The total percentage of forests in Poland is about 29,4%. The most forested regions are the Western, Northern and Southern territories. The total forest cover in Poland continues to increase year after year. Mthe majority of forest areas belong to a state property. They are owned by State Forests headed by the General Regional Directorates. The most common practice in Polish agriculture is the monoculture stand, it has been of huge importance since the past. The most common forest type in the lowlands and highlands is Pine (64,3% of the total foresed land). Spruce prevails in both Western and Eastern forests. However, Beech is also found in the Eastern forests. The most number of forests are in Lubuskie, Pomerania and Podkarpacie Provinces. The least forested territories are in Mazovia, Lodz and Lublin Provinces.

Kuyavia-Pomerania Province Mazovia Province  The percentage of the total forest cover in this province is about 23.4%. In Poland there are 16 provinces and Kuyavia-Pomerania ranks 13 in the total forest cover among the provinces in this country. The most common forest type comprises of Pine followed closely by Oak and Birch. The Bory Tucholskie, Bydgoszcz and Gostyninsko-Wloclawskie Forests are dominant in Kuyavia- Pomerania's total forest cover.  The total forest cover in the province of Mazovia is about 22.9%. This province ranks 15 in the total forest cover of Poland. Due to the huge industrialization in this area, the percentage of forests is less than in the other provinces. The most common coniferous forest type is the Scots pine followed by deciduous species like Oak, Alder and Birch. Although Mazovia is low in the ranking, there are forests like the Kurpiowska, Kampinoska and Kozienicka which have a huge importance in Polish sustainable forest management, nature conservation and also for Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Lodz Province Wielkopolska Province Swietokrzyskie Province  The total percentage of the forest cover is, with its 21.2%, the lowest in Poland. There are a very few forested areas here. The most famous are the Pilica and Bolimowska Forests, where the species like Pine, Oak, Birch and Lime are generally found.  This Province ranks 12 in the total forest cover of Poland. The most important forests like Zielonka and Krajenskie are near the city of Poznan. There is also a natural forest (near Puszczykowo) which has been lasting for the last 200 years. The province of Wielkopolska supports nature conservation and Special Area of Conservation (SAC).  The percentage of the forest cover in this province is a little lower than the total one. The forested territory is about 28.0% and 72.1% of the total forested area is Pine. The other common types of forests are Fir, Oak, Poplar and Beech. Nature conservation has a huge importance in the province of Swietokrzyskie.

Pomerania Province West Pomeranian Province  An area of ,34 km², has got 36.3% of its total area covered by forests. It is one of the most forested place in Poland. Monoculture Conifer represents 81% of the local forests, including the main species of pine and larch (77,3%.). The deciduous trees occupy 19% - with beech around 8.6%. The forest areas in the region: Tucholskie, Leborskie Forests.  An area of ,48 km², the forests cover an area of thousand ha, which is 35.4% of the area of the province. In these forests there are the following groups of the species found: pine 62,1%, birch-tree 10,0%, beech 7,5%, oak 6,3%, alder 5,5%, spruce 5,1%.%. Forest areas in the region: Barlinecka, Beech, Mysliborskie Forest.

Lower Silesia Province Opole Province  An area of ,74 km², has a forest area of 591,3 thousand ha, which is 29,6% of the area of the province. More than 25% of the stands are of 81 years and more. Among the many species of trees such as spruce, oak, birch, aspen etc, the tree leading the lower Silesian forests is pine - 39,1%. The forest area in the region: Dolnoslaskie Forest.  An area of 9 411,87 km², forests cover an area of 249,8 thousand ha, which is 26,5% of the province area. The dominant habitat is that of the boron mixed forests. There are also the regions of alder. The forest areas in the region: Namislowickie and Turawskie Forests.

Lubuskie Province Warmia-Masuria Province  An area of ,89 km² is the most forested area in Poland. Forests cover an area of 49% here. In the structure of the habitats, the coniferous habitat is dominant, with Pine as the dominant species, which has about 88% of the forest area. The important forested territories in the region: Notecka Backwood.  The forests in the Warmian-Masurian Province cover about 30,9%. The biggest area is Piska Backwoods. Also the different big groups of forests are Borecka, Nidzicka Backwoods and the part of Romincka Backwood. The coniferous trees are in the ascendant, mostly Pine.

Podlasie Province Lubelskie Province  The forests cover about 30,6% area of Podlasie Province. This state ranks 7 in the ranking of total forest cover. The biggest forested areas are Augustowska, Bialowieska, Knyszyńska Backwoods. The oldest National Park in Poland-Bialowieza is in this province. Also there are unique fauna and flora.  The area of this province is ,49 km², out of which 23,1% is covered by forests. The biggest forest aggregates are Solska Backwood, Janowskie, Sobiborskie and Parczewskie Forests. The most commonly found species are Beech, common Fir and Sessile oak.

Malopolska Province Silesia Province  The total forest cover is around ha in this province. This constitutes 28,6% of the surface and ranks 10 in the ranking of the total forest cover in Poland. The Niepolomicka, Dulowska and Radlowska Backwoods have a main part in the Lesser Poland. The dominant species is the Beech tree stand.  The forests cover about 31,8% of the Silesia. This province ranks 5 in the total forest area cover of Poland. The major area of tree stands are Lublinieckie, Raciborskie and Pszczynskie Forests. The dominant trees are Pines, Spruces and Oaks.

Podkarpacie Province  The area of this province is about km², out of which 37,8% is covered by forests. In Podkarpacie, Beech and Fir forests prevail. Sandomierska wilderness is named after the city of Sandomierska. In Przemyskie Forest there is a very high level of wilderness. The most popular reserves are the Sandomierska wilderness, Janowskie and Sieniawskie forests. The province of Podkarpacie supports nature conservation and Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION! Let’s care about our forests!

Sources of informations:   stat.gov.pl  skarbiecprzyrody.pl  pl.wikipedia.org             „Oblicza geografii”, Author: Radosław Uliszak, Krzysztof Wiedermann  „Puszcze i lasy Polski”, Author: Dorota Zawadzka, Ewa Kwiecień  „Atlas geograficzny dla szkół ponadgimnazjalnych, zakres rozszerzony”, Author: Izabela Wojtyczka

Informations about authors: Names:  Olga Semeniuk  Dominik Marszałkowski  Weronika Bartoszewska Name of school:  Ziemia Kujawska High School no.1 in Włocławek Class:  First year of high school