Values and Benefits
Over the years the main tensions in the area have been over the strict protection offered by the park and either disinterest in protection or outright opposition to the park as a perceived obstacle to regional development. In 2001, when questioned about conservation a local mayor summed up the problems:
“There is high unemployment in the forest communities, up to 18 per cent in some towns … Frankly there are other priorities at the moment, such as the installation of proper water and sewage treatment systems, and heating for schools. We recognize the importance of conserving the forest for our own future prosperity, but the reality is that we first need funds in order to take the pressure off our own daily living.”
The challenge for conservationists and development organisations was thus clear: protect this vital last remnant of Central European forest whilst building strong bonds between conservation measures and the local economy, in particular, by creating possibilities for tourism activities.
As noted in the summary of the Protected Areas Benefits Assessment Tool given below, bialowieza has a wide range of actual and potential benefits. Here we discuss the two most important groups of values: knowledge and community well-being.