Between biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management – A multidisciplinary assessment of the emblematic Białowieża Forest case

The study focuses on the "Białowieża Forest controversy," a high-profile dispute involving the Polish government, foresters, environmentalists, and the European Union. The core of the conflict was the response to a massive spruce bark beetle outbreak: while foresters advocated for active management (logging infested trees to protect timber and public safety), conservationists argued for passive restoration, allowing natural disturbance processes to shape the forest ecosystem.

Using a systematic assessment, the authors show that the conflict is fueled not just by ecological disagreements but by:

1. Contradictory evidence and interpretations regarding the forest's status and history.
2. Knowledge gaps concerning socio-economic drivers.
3. Power struggles and lack of trust between stakeholders with fundamentally different professional identities (foresters vs. naturalists).

The paper highlights that the forest is a "natural laboratory" for observing natural processes (like deadwood dynamics) and emphasizes the need for a zonation system that separates strict conservation areas from managed zones. It ultimately calls for a conflict management process that goes beyond simple fact-finding to address the deep-seated social and political dimensions of the dispute.