Białowieża Forest is a Natura 2000 area and a UNESCO-protected primeval forest. With thousands of plant species, fungi, mosses, insects, mammals, and more than 250 bird species, it is one of the richest ecosystems in Europe. The forest is home to rare and endangered animal and plant species.
Broken Paths is an ongoing project about the loss of biodiversity caused by human actions in the Białowieża Forest. In 2022, Poland built a 186-kilometre-long wall on the border with Belarus. This barrier cuts through fragile ecosystems of Europe’s last primeval forest, blocks migration routes, causes habitat fragmentation, and leads to a decline in genetic diversity. This is a major cause for concern.
This project demonstrates that the disruption of ecological balance does not stop at national borders.
In collaboration with the Białowieża Geobotanical Station, University of Warsaw and the Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences.
This work was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.