However, 84 percent of the Polish part of the forest lies outside national park borders, encouraging heavy logging.
The intensity of this process grew during the last decade, especially under Poland's previous right-wing government, becoming one of the sensitive issues setting Poland at loggerheads with the European Union.
Now, a bill that would cover the entire area of Poland's Białowieża Forest with protected national park status is being debated in parliament.
Marcin Matuszewski has the details.
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