Implementation of active conservation for butterflies in the faunistic nature reserves of the Białowieża Forest in 1995–2023

For many years, there has been a lively discussion, or rather a dispute, concerning the management of the Białowieża Forest. Various arguments are raised and different points of view are presented, referring to the manner and degree of use of the natural resources of the Białowieża Forest. Environmental organisations and the representatives of the world of science who support them are of the opinion that any economic activities of humans are unacceptable in the Białowieża Forest (Wesołowski et al. 2016). However, according to foresters and scientists who share their view, it is necessary to take active measures to preserve the full natural wealth of the Białowieża Forest. In the opinion of this group, sustainable forest management and active protection activities in part of the Białowieża Forest, for example, grazing, raking litter, removal of undesirable plant and animal species, are conducive to the preservation of biodiversity in this area, as it is a necessary complement to strict protection. These opposing points of view are part of a broader discussion on the main goal of nature conservation, which would be naturalness or diversity, and in terms of the way they are implemented, either passive protection or active protection (Matuszkiewicz and Tabor 2022).

Faunistic nature reserves in the Białowieża Forest fit perfectly into this type of consideration. The justification and motivation for the establishment of these nature reserves were (Dąbrowski 1983):

The immense value and uniqueness of the Białowieża Forest, which is an exceptional refuge for lepidopterofauna, not only in the country but also on a European scale and

In May 1987, the Department of Environmental Protection, Water Management and Geology of the Provincial Office in Bialystok submitted an order under the title ‘Project of butterfly reserves in the Białowieża Forest’. In November 1988, a technical ruling (document) with the same title as the order was produced (Witkowski 1988). As a result, four nature reserves were created (Berezowo, Olszanka Myśliszcze, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa). They were recognised on 27 June 1995 based on orders of the Minister of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry (Orders of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry 1995).

The potential number of butterfly species within the established faunistic nature reserves was estimated to be 76 species (Dąbrowski et al. 1992). Monitoring surveys conducted in 2005–2007 revealed 56 butterfly species in the faunistic nature reserves, including those not observed and estimated potentially in earlier surveys (Ginszt 2011). Butterfly species richness on the faunistic nature reserves was not limited to the number of species present. The occurrence of nine endemic butterfly forms (Rhopalocera) of the Białowieża Forest was indicated in the faunistic nature reserves (Krzywicki 1986), such as moorland clouded yellow (Colias palaeno ssp. pruefferi Krzyw.), northern wall brown (Pararge petropolitana ssp. bialoviensis Krzyw.), false ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus ssp. magnoocellata Krzyw.), marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia ssp. celina Krzyw.), scarce fritillary (Euphydryas maturna ssp. adamczewskii Krzyw.), Boloria alethea ssp. nigrofasciata Krzyw., bog fritillary (Proclossiana eunomis ssp. gieysztori Krzyw.), scarce tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas ssp. anna Krzyw.) and Arctic skipper (Carbocephalus palameon ssp. tolli Krzyw.). Most of the above-mentioned species are receding or have already receded from the Białowieża Forest. The habitat requirements of the aforementioned butterfly species are related to the maintenance of habitats in an unchanged state. Threats to the aforementioned species include vegetation succession, overgrowing of peatlands with willow and birch thickets, overgrowing of mid-forest meadows, clearings and open areas with trees and shrubs.

The nature reserves were established in Hajnówka and Białowieża forest districts. The aim of their conservation was to preserve the places of occurrence of rare species of butterflies for scientific and educational reasons. The defined direction indicated the need to implement active conservation measures to improve habitat quality for butterflies, that is, to prevent vegetation succession and to maintain the sites in an unchanged state.

Despite this, after the creation of nature reserves, protection plans for the Berezowo, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa nature reserves were created after 12 years and for the Olszanka Myśliszcze reserve after 13 years. Previously, no protective measures were carried out in their area to improve the conditions for the occurrence of butterfly fauna. The developmental dynamism of some plant communities has been so strong that the maintenance of certain host plant species, and therefore also rare and endangered butterfly species, has become problematic (Ginszt 2011).

The example of faunistic nature reserves, which have as their aim conservation of species with use of active methods, has, therefore, become a bit of a controversy, as the need for decisive active conservation measures was in opposition to the priorities of nature reserves protection in Poland, where the ‘norm’ is the least possible interference or rather the lack of it. Therefore, the motivation to write this article was the desire to summarise and present the extent to which active protection was implemented in nature reserves in the years 1995–2023. The aim of the article is also to indicate the problems and dissonance that occurs between the needs of active protection and the approach to the vision of the protection of the Białowieża Forest presented by some scientific circles, non-governmental organisations and ecological activists.

The materials for this study were obtained based on requests for access to environmental information from Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection (RDEP) in Białystok and the Hajnówka forest districts. In addition, data were obtained from the Białowieża and Hajnówka forest districts to complete the information. The documentation and information obtained from the databases of the Information Systems of the State Forests of the Białowieża and Hajnówka forest districts from 1995 to 2023 were analysed. The entire documentation concerning the implementation of active protection in four faunistic nature reserves – Berezowo, Olszanka Myśliszcze, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa – has been compiled. A detailed assessment and analysis in terms of material and financial aspects was also carried out for the protection activities carried out under the agreements concluded between RDEP in Białystok and the Białowieża and Hajnówka forest districts.

Four faunistic nature reserves in the Białowieża Forest are located in the Hajnówka and Białowieża forest districts (Fig. 1). Their total area is about 690 ha (Berezowo – 115.41 ha, Olszanka Myśliszcze – 276.76 ha, Przewłoka – 78.52 ha, Podcerkwa – 228.12 ha).

Figure 1.

Since the establishment of the nature reserves in 1995, conservation tasks for the nature reserves (Berezowo, Olszanka Myśliszcze, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa) have been issued twice, based on decrees of the Podlaskie Voivode of 16 December 2002 (Podlaskie Voivode Decrees 2002) and decrees of the Podlaskie Voivode of 10 December 2003 (Podlaskie Voivode Decrees 2003). Conservation measures were implemented in 2003 and 2004. Detailed conservation measures are presented below by individual faunistic nature reserves and year of implementation (Tab. 1).

The proposed conservation measures were not intended to protect the subject of protection, which was the butterflies. In fact, it was a continuation of the forest conservation, silviculture and hunting management work previously carried out in the area.

It should be mentioned that, in addition to the locations for the individual conservation measures indicated in the conservation tasks, it was also possible to carry them out in other places within the nature reserves. Forest protection, silviculture and hunting management works were carried out based on consents (decisions) of the Podlaskie Voivodeship Nature Conservator. In view of the above, conservation measures for the benefit of butterflies in terms of mowing mid-forest meadows, maintaining open areas in an unchanged state through de-bushing, were carried out as part of forest management on the initiative of foresters from the Białowieża and Hajnówka forest districts, and not based on conservation measures for faunistic nature reserves.

Currently, there are conservation plans in force for the faunistic nature reserves, which were established based on decrees of the Podlaskie Voivode’s Ordinances in 2007 for the nature reserves Berezowo, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa (Podlaskie Voivode Decrees 2007) and in 2008 (Podlaskie Voivode Decree 2008) for the Olszanka Myśliszcze nature reserve. The detailed scope of conservation measures is presented in Table 2.

A total of seven agreements were concluded between the RDEP in Białystok and the Białowieża and Hajnówka forest districts. As a result of the agreements, 13 conservation measures were carried out in four nature reserves for a total gross amount of PLN 38.9 thousand (Tab. 3).

Pursuant to Article 54 (Targeted subsidies [point 5] of the Forest Act, 1991), State Forests receive targeted subsidies from the state budget for tasks commissioned by the government administration for the development of protection plans for nature reserves under the management of the State Forests, their implementation, protection of plant and animal species and supervision of areas included in Natura 2000.

In accordance with the 2021 guidelines of State Forests (Letter from Director General of State Forests 2021), if it is not possible to obtain funding for tasks commissioned by the government administration in the field of nature conservation tasks, as stipulated in the above-mentioned Article 54 of the Forest Act, activities may be financed under certain exceptions: a)

as an own contribution to projects implemented with external funding,

Therefore, in the absence of funding from the state budget (RDEP in Białystok), the Białowieża and Hajnówka forest districts undertook initiatives and carried out some of the tasks as part of projects financed from external funds. The works were carried out as part of the following projects:

‘Protection of the lesser spotted eagle in selected Natura 2000 areas’ – is co-financed by the European Union as part of the LIFE + Nature Programme and by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFEP&WM) in Warsaw.

These were projects not related to butterfly conservation. However, during their implementation, it was possible to carry out works beneficial to butterflies in the faunistic nature reserves in the Białowieża Forest through the protection of other species, such as the bison and the lesser spotted eagle.

In total, as part of the works carried out with external funds, six conservation actions were carried out in the years 2016–2021 in three nature reserves (Olszanka Myśliszcze, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa) worth PLN 47.8 thousand. The detailed scope of work and implementation is presented in Table 4.

An example of a conservation measure implemented in the Podcerkwa reserve in 2023 is presented below (Fig. 2, 3).

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Unique in the scale of the Białowieża and Polish forests, faunistic nature reserves created in 1995 to protect the habitats of rare species of butterflies were left for 7 years without documents enabling the implementation of conservation activities. It was not until 2002 that the first annual conservation tasks were issued, which were to be in force in 2003. The tasks were dictated mainly by the needs of forest protection and silviculture. In 2004, the conservation tasks were limited only to the repair of information boards and forest protection actions (setting up pheromone traps and removing infested trees). Therefore, the conservation tasks were not directed in any way to the needs of the object of conservation.

After 12 years, in the case of the Berezowo, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa reserves, and after 13 years, in the case of the Olszanka Myśliszcze reserve, conservation plans were created, the role of which was to precisely define threats and protective actions for a period of 20 years.

It was puzzling that after such a long break (several years), no attempt was made to carry out even a 1-year, full inventory to check whether such a way of protecting this area was still justified (Ginszt 2011).

The conservation tasks were limited to a few points, among which the prevailing tendency was ‘interfere as little as possible...’. For example, in the Berezowo Nature Reserve, it was recommended to mow and cut down trees and shrubs along the Olemburska Road once in every 3 years and to leave hollow, dying and dead trees for their natural decomposition. An additional disadvantage, not to mention the form in which the protection plans were created, was the lack of precision and detail in the performance of certain conservation measures. The main drawback was the lack of indication of the width to which the bush removal and tree felling procedures were to be carried out along the road. Individual and specific issues for the areas of nature reserves, to which special attention should be paid (e.g. characteristic features of the nature reserve, spatial arrangement, plant communities), were also not indicated (Ginszt 2011). Issues related to maintaining the mosaic of different environments that affect species diversity have been trivialised.

It was puzzling to recommend the protection of hollow, dying and dead trees through the creation of a special conservation task in the nature reserve to protect rare species of butterflies. An action of this type is very important in the context of protecting species diversity, but in the context of the object of protection in the nature reserves analysed, it was not relevant (Ginszt 2011).

Similarly, puzzling recommendations in the form of conservation measures were made for the Przewłoka reserve, which were not related to the protection of butterflies. They concerned the clearing of roadside trees to facilitate the passage of fire brigade and forest service vehicles (Ginszt 2011).

As part of the conservation plans in force since 2007 and 2008, it was not until 2012 that the first agreements for their implementation were concluded. Therefore, one can get the impression that the fauna reserves in question have been treated for a period of 4–5 years as if they had the status of ‘strict reserves’. Also, while in the years 2012–2014, a number of conservation actions were carried out, in later years, from 2015 onwards, individual actions were carried out, mainly in the Podcerkwa nature reserve. In total, about 39,000 PLN from the state budget was allocated for protective activities. It should also be mentioned that only a part of the conservation measures was implemented and financed. In recent years, despite requests for funds for the implementation of conservation measures, the responses have not always been positive.

So, should we create nature reserves for butterflies? If so, is it in this form? If not, how should butterflies and their habitats be protected? It is difficult to answer these questions unequivocally. Depends, what is the priority? Or adherence to the principles of conservation of nature? Is the object of protection, which in this case is butterflies, more important? (Ginszt 2011).

Therefore, it is possible to consider whether it made sense to create them and whether they fulfilled their role, that is, preserved the places where rare species of butterflies occur. The last detailed inventory research in the fauna reserves in the Białowieża Forest was carried out in the years 2005–2007 (Ginszt and Laskowska-Ginszt 2021). A 3-year study showed that 28 species of butterflies previously recorded (Krzywicki 1967) were not observed in the nature reserves. The establishment of fauna reserves in the Białowieża Forest did not contribute to maintaining the species richness of butterflies (Ginszt 2011). Currently, the situation in terms of butterfly species diversity in nature reserves may be even worse. It is caused by progressive successional processes and the failure to fully implement conservation measures. This is caused by a lack of financial resources and the failure of the authorities responsible for nature conservation in faunistic nature reserves to agree to all tasks.

Previous statements and facts clearly indicate that in this, as well as in many other cases related to attempts at protection, a wider range of treatments and activities have not been developed in the field of active conservation, which would take into account the individual specificity of a particular object and also their plant and animal components, as well as elements of inanimate nature. Nor have any methods been developed to preserve the condition of the objects, or to restore them to their previous state, or to carry out restitution or rehabilitation. Therefore, the created faunistic nature reserves did not fulfil their role (Ginszt 2011).

Nature conservation as an idea has a long history, but as a science, it is a relatively young field. In the absence of sufficient arguments, supported by scientific research, we are too often guided in nature conservation by individual experiences or intuition, which can fail, as evidenced by numerous examples. An example of incompetent protection is that of the Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) in the Pieniny National Park, where a lack of active conservation has led to succession and habitat loss for the butterfly species. Restoration measures had to be taken to restore the population (Adamski 2016). In addition, positive results from experiments in one place do not guarantee success elsewhere (Kapuściński 2009).

The need to protect insects (including butterflies) is an issue that is considered in many aspects and discussed in various publications (Nowacki 2000; Buszko and Nowacki 2000; Dąbrowski 2004). The example of butterflies in the Białowieża Forest shows that conservation for most species should only take place in an active way. As a result of changes in butterfly habitats, lack of active measures to maintain biotopes at early stages of succession, and overgrowing of meadows, clearings and open areas, many species having isolated sites in the faunistic nature reserves became extinct. Due to the lack of active conservation measures and probably climate change, the following species have become extinct in the faunistic nature reserves in the Białowieża Forest (Jaroszewicz 2010): false ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus), Scotch argus (Erebia aethiops), northern wall brown (Lasiommata petropolitana), false eros blue (Polyommatus eros eroides), violet copper (Lycaena helle), Danube clouded yellow (Colias myrmidone) and marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia).

Mention should be made here of the active conservation project carried out in the Knyszyn Forest under the name ‘Forest management for endangered species: protection of Colias myrmidone in the Knyszyn Forest’. The project is carried out on behalf of the General Directorate of State Forests by a consortium of the Forest Research Institute and the University of Białystok in 2021–2025 (Decision of the General Director of State Forests 2021).

Many butterfly species conservation projects are carried out in various European countries. One example of species conservation programmes is the restoration and protection of P. apollo. In Poland, the programme was co-financed by the EU LIFE programme and NFEP&WM. The project, which has a cross-border, international character, is also being implemented in the Czech Republic and Austria until March 2028. Its total cost will be PLN 22.3 million, of which the cost of activities in Poland is PLN 11.1 million (NFEP&WM 2023). Many projects are also underway in the UK. Conservation efforts are targeting key regions where the decline of endangered butterfly species can be halted and reversed. Examples of butterfly species conservation national projects in UK include Farmland Butterfly and Moth Initiative, Species Recovery Programme (Butterflies) and Forestry Commission Strategy (Butterfly Conservation 2023).

There are many different forms of insect conservation, which can be considered in Poland and against the background of the experience of other countries and the recommendations of the European Union (Pawłowski and Witkowski 2000). The ecological point of view creates four forms of insect conservation: conservation through the protection of ecosystems, conservation through the protection of habitats that insects occupy, conservation of insects by umbrella species and direct conservation (passive or active). Almost all these forms of conservation are suitable for butterflies. By protecting ecosystems, it is possible to create reserves with partial protection, where a whole range of conservation treatments can be applied. By protecting habitats, it is possible, for example, to mow and clear shrubs of meadows and thus keep the places where butterflies occur in a suitable condition. Through direct active protection, restitution and reintroduction projects or species protection projects can be carried out.

Summarising the issues related to conservation plans for nature reserves and conservation tasks, it is important to state that emotions should not guide and rush in this matter. There is no doubt that protective actions will only be successful when the needs of individual species in the natural space are thoroughly recognised (Szyszko 2002). Aspects of butterfly ecology are discussed in relation to sound management of species (...) and exemplify increasing global interest in butterfly conservation (New et al. 1995).

Effective protection of butterflies is a complex procedure, as it requires actions to protect biotopes, save selected species, shape public opinion and take legal action. Given the uniqueness of the Białowieża Forest and the value represented by its species diversity, it is necessary to develop legal possibilities that will enable the implementation of conservation measures aimed at the fauna of butterflies. Despite the legal restrictions on reserve conservation, a UNESCO World Heritage Białowieża Forest, it is necessary to provide funding and opportunities for scientific research and active protection in the faunistic nature reserves (Berezowo, Olszanka Myśliszcze, Przewłoka, Podcerkwa).

Necessary activities that should be carried out in faunistic nature reserves include the following: 1)

maintaining conditions for butterfly-forming populations in open areas, facilitating their ability to migrate over long distances to seek and select more favourable biotopes with a more abundant food base of herbaceous plants;