Why do foresters oppose the enlargement of the Białowieża National Park? The motivation of the State Forests Holding employees as perceived by social actors engaged in the conflict over the Białowieża Forest

A study reveals that foresters' opposition to expanding Białowieża National Park stems from multiple interconnected factors, including professional identity, economic concerns, and differing visions for nature conservation. Key motives identified through discourse analysis of interviews with 36 stakeholders include the fear of job loss or status decline, competition with national parks, and attachment to traditional forestry practices like hunting. The conflict highlights deep divisions between forestry interests—supported by an epistemic community of forest scientists—and conservation advocates, with path dependency and institutional prestige further complicating resolution. This research underscores the complex social dynamics shaping land-use conflicts in UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Niedziałkowski, K. (2016). Why do foresters oppose the enlargement of the Białowieża National Park? The motivation of the State Forests Holding employees as perceived by social actors engaged in the conflict over the Białowieża Forest. Forest Research Papers, 77(4), 358–370. https://doi.org/10.1515/frp-2016-0037