Lessons from Białowieża Forest on the history of protection and the world's first reintroduction of a large carnivore

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 808-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Samojlik ◽  
Nuria Selva ◽  
Piotr Daszkiewicz ◽  
Anastasia Fedotova ◽  
Adam Wajrak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Carnivore ◽  
Białowieża Forest ◽  
History Of

scholarly journals ALS-Based Detection of Past Human Activities in the Białowieża Forest—New Evidence of Unknown Remains of Past Agricultural Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 2657
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Stereńczak ◽  
Rafał Zapłata ◽  
Jarosław Wójcik ◽  
Bartłomiej Kraszewski ◽  
Miłosz Mielcarek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
13Th Century ◽  
Practical Result ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Białowieża Forest ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Evidence

The Białowieża Forest (BF), a unique ecosystem of historical significance in central Europe, has a long history of assumed human settlement, with at least 200 known archaeological sites (until 2016). This study uncovers new evidence of the cultural heritage of this unique forest area using Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) technology combined with traditional archaeological field assessment methods to verify the ALS data interpretations and to provide additional evidence about the function and origin of the newly detected archaeological sites. The results of this study include (1) a scientific approach for an improved identification of archaeological resources in forest areas; (2) new evidence about the history of the human use of the BF based on ALS data, covering the entire Polish part of the BF; and (3) an improved remote sensing infrastructure, supporting existing GIS (Geographic Information System) systems for the BF, a famous UNESCO Heritage site. Our study identified numerous locations with evidence of past human agricultural activities known in the literature as “field systems”, “lynchets” and “Celtic fields”. The initial identification included more than 300 km of possible field boundaries and plough headlands, many of which we have verified on the ground. Various past human activities creating those boundaries have existed since the (pre-) Roman Period up to the 13th century AD. The results of this study demonstrate that past human activities in the Polish part of the Białowieża Forest had been more prevalent than previously believed. As a practical result of the described activities, a geodatabase was created; this has practical applications for the system of monument protection in Poland, as well as for local communities and the BF’s management and conservation. The more widely achieved results are in line with the implementation of the concept of a cultural heritage inventory in forested and protected areas—the actions taken specify (built globally) the forms of protection and management of cultural and environmental goods.

scholarly journals News of the European Bison in Poland

Oryx ◽  
1963 ◽  
Vol 7 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 94-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazimierz Krysiak
Keyword(s):  
First World War ◽  
European Bison ◽  
World War ◽  
Białowieża Forest ◽  
The First World War ◽  
History Of ◽  
First World

During the first world war all the bison in the Białowieża Forest were destroyed but a new chapter in the history of the species started in 1929 with the introduction of captive stock. An area of 500 acres in the forest was fenced and 70 acres of it deforested. Thirty-two bison were living in this closed reserve on 31st December, 1962.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document