To investigate ES provided by the BF to the local inhabitants
we carried out a questionnaire survey among the local communities
of the BF concerning benefits they obtain from the BF, as well
as their view on the potential impact of the BNP enlargement over
the whole Polish part of the BF on these benefits. We focused on the
provisioning and cultural services as they have so far been at the
centre of the conflict (Adamczyk, 1994; Glinski, 2001 ´ ). We discuss
the results and their significance for the conservation and management
of the BF and other protected areas in CEE, taking into account
justice considerations and the new, more participatory paradigm
of protected areas. We also provide broader recommendations for
policy makers. The paper is concluded with a general discussion on
the usefulness of ES approach for addressing conservation conflicts.