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

The article deals with the problem of the active conservation of butterflies in the faunistic nature reserves of Białowieża Forest. Białowieża Forest is an extremely valuable and diverse area in which two approaches to nature conservation are used. The first one is passive conservation, a conservative approach whose purpose is to protect natural processes by reducing human intervention. The other one is active conservation, which aims to take steps to protect nature, including by maintaining areas in certain successional stages. Faunistic nature reserves in the Białowieża Forest fit perfectly into this type of consideration. These include four nature reserves: Berezowo, Olszanka Myśliszcze, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa. The aim of their conservation was to preserve the places of occurrence of rare species of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) for scientific and educational reasons. Butterflies are important flagship taxa for invertebrate conservation. Conservation tasks for nature reserves (Berezowo, Olszanka Myśliszcze, Przewłoka and Podcerkwa) were issued twice, in 2002 and 2003. Currently, there are conservation plans in force for faunistic nature reserves. A total of seven agreements were concluded between the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Białystok and the Białowieża and Hajnówka forest districts. Through the analysis of documentation from 1995 to 2023, the implementation of active protection in these unusual and valuable areas is presented. The analysis was presented both in terms of material and financial aspects. 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. Despite the undeniable needs of active protection in the faunistic nature reserves of the Białowieża Forest, appropriate methods and permanent sources of funding have still not been developed that would enable the protection of these extremely valuable and unique objects. Therefore, the functioning of faunistic nature reserves in the Białowieża Forest in their current form does not bode well for achieving the conservation goal for which they were created.