At the end of the 18th century, forests covered around 40% of Poland.[1] However, due to the 19th century economic exploitation during the partitions of Poland, as well as, the Nazi German and Soviet occupations between 1939–1945 with trees shipped to battle fronts across Europe, deforestation and slash and burn conditions of war shrank Polish forests to only 21% of total area of the country (as of 1946).[1] Furthermore, rich deciduous trees were replaced with fast growing coniferous trees of lesser value meant for commerce, such as pine. After World War II, the government of Poland initiated the National Plan of Afforestation. By 1970, forests covered 29% of the country.[1] As of 2009 – 29,1% of Poland's territory was forested, amounting to 9,088,000 hectares.[1] It is estimated that by 2050, the total area of forested land should increase to 33%.[1]
As much as 81,8% of the Polish forests are state-owned, majority (77,8%) by Polish State Forests (Lasy Państwowe), 2% constitute Polish National Forests protected zones, 2% are owned by other governmental entities (such as local self-government or the Agricultural Property Agency) and 18,2% belong to private owners.[1] The high percentage of Polish forests owned by the state is the result of nationalization of forests that occurred in the aftermath of World War II when Poland became a communist state (see People's Republic of Poland) under the Soviet sphere of influence.
Inhabitation
Forest in Poland occupy the poorest soil. Coniferous type accounts for 54.5%, whereas broadleaved type accounts for 45.5% (out of that, alder and riparian forests account for 3.8%).[2] A number of forested zones are now protected by the Polish government and, in many cases, they have become tourist destinations. Over the years, many of the largest Polish forests have been reduced in size, and that reflected on the structure of forest inhabitation.[3]
Up until the end of the 18th Century, beginning in what is known as the Middle Ages, forests were considered places for travelers and ordinary folk to stay away from, as they were home to bandits and were believed to be inhabited by evil spirits. Law and order did not apply to forests for many centuries, except for self-policing observed and administered by their inhabitants. However, the forests did contain numerous woodsmen and their families who made the best of their remote environment. These woodsmen lived on what the forest could produce, collecting pitch resin for sale – important as method of illuminating city streets – logging construction lumber, collecting lime, beeswax, honey, hops, mushrooms and whatever other saleable items could be harvested in the forest and sold in villages outside of it.
Families of the woodsmen produced their own food through gardening and hunting, as well as their own clothing. In some cases, their sewing of intricate laces became well known outside the forest, resulting in additional family income.[3] Because of their isolation from society in general, woodsmen and their families developed their own style of dress, music, sewing, dialect, celebrations, and the type of dwellings. The Masovia woodsmen for example, known as Kurpie people, who lived in the forested region known in Poland as the White Wilderness (Puszcza Biała) and the Green Wilderness, still proudly proclaim and celebrate their unique culture and customs.
