Ninth month of occupational protest against deforestation in east Poland

Drone view of the turnicki forest on January 6, 2022 near Makowa, Carpathian mountains, south-eastern Poland. Activists of The Wild Carpathian Initiative continues its occupational protest against deforestation of the Turnicki area of Carpathian mountains for nine months, despite winter temperatures. The group have been blocking entrances to strategic paths of logging crews since the end of April 2021 when the National Forests introduced large-scale forest cuts under the Forest Management Plan. Activists argue that this area should not operate under the Plan but rather be protected as a National Park. The activists base their argument on the age of the forest (some trees are 300 years old) and the biodiversity only possible to maintain in a naturally managed environment. The area is a home to wildlife species, such as bear, wolf, boar or deer as well as rare plants.