The key topic of discussion was the negative consequences of the construction of a Polish fortification in the heart of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, on the territory of a transboundary UNESCO World Heritage site.
Opening the event, First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Alexander Korbut expressed gratitude to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for the decision to conduct a reactive UNESCO/IUCN monitoring mission, at a time when other international organizations ignored all requests from Belarus, and also thanked the public for its active position on the preservation of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the last green island of primeval forest on the flat territory of Europe.
During the meeting, a frank conversation took place about the importance of preserving this natural site. It was unanimously noted that the negative impact on the ecosystems of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is already manifesting itself and over time the situation will further worsen. The participants emphasized the importance of conveying truthful information to international structures, the scientific community and the Polish authorities, as well as the need to begin a dialogue at the interstate level in order to quickly take measures to minimize the consequences of the construction of a barrier in a unique nature reserve.
Let us recall that among the predicted negative consequences of the fence construction, scientists highlight:
- fragmentation of forest areas;
- disruption of the natural development of forest ecosystems;
- formation of natural areas with a high potential for penetration of invasive plant species;
- formation of zones with a high risk of flooding of adjacent territories;
- damage as a result of flooding and destruction of valuable old-growth broad-leaved and black alder forests;
- degradation of especially valuable plant communities;
- degradation of typical and rare biotopes;
- dismemberment of the lynx and wolf populations;
- blocking of the main migration corridors of large mammals.
Summing up the meeting, Alexander Korbut stated that at the moment we are facing the danger of destroying the integrity of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha ecosystems, which, taking into account the interconnection of all components of the environment and the transboundary nature of the territory, may pose a threat to the ecosystems of the entire European region.
The First Deputy Minister expressed hope that the opinions expressed during today’s event will not only be heard by the world community, but also supported by it for the benefit of preserving the unique natural site “Belovezhskaya Pushcha”, which our ancestors admired hundreds of years ago, and, if timely measures are taken, our descendants will admire it for thousands of years to come.
