[Environmental History] BiałowieÅ1⁄4a Primeval Forest: Nature and Culture in the Nineteenth Century Volume 11 ||

Understanding the current state and dynamics of any forest is extremely difficult - if not impossible - without recognizing its history. Białowieża Primeval Forest (BPF), located on the border between Poland and Belarus, is one of the best preserved European lowland forests and a subject of myriads of works focusing on countless aspects of its biology, ecology, management. BPF was protected for centuries (15th-18th century) as a game reserve of Polish kings and Lithuanian grand dukes. Being, at that time, a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, BPF was subject to long-lasting traditional, multi-functional utilisation characteristic for this part of Europe, including haymaking on forest meadows, traditional bee-keeping and fishing in rivers flowing through forest. This traditional model of management came to an abrupt end due to political change in 1795, when Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania ceased to exist in effect of partitioning by neighbouring countries, and the territory of BPF was taken over by the Russian Empire. The new Russian administration, influenced by the German trends in forestry, attempted at introducing the new, science-based forestry model in the BPF throughout the 19th century. The entire 19th century in the history of BPF is a story of struggle between new trends and concepts brought and implemented by new rulers of the land, and the traditional perception of the forest and forest uses, culturally rooted in this area and originating from mediaeval (or older) practices. The book will show the historical background and the outcome of this struggle: the forest’s history in the long 19th century focusing on tracking all cultural imprints, both material (artificial landscapes, introduced alien species, human-induced processes) and immaterial (traditional knowledge of forest and use of forest resources, the political and cultural significance of the forest) that shaped the forest’s current state and picture. Our book will deliver a picture of a crucial moment in forest history, relevant not only to the Central Europe, but to the continent in general. Moment of transition between a royal hunting ground, traditional type of use widespread throughout Europe, to a modern, managed forest. Looking at main obstacles in the management shift, the essential difference in perceptions of the forest and goods it provides in both modes of management, and the implications of the management change for the state of BPF in the long 19th century could help in better understanding the changes that European forests underwent in general. Series Editor Preface Acknowledgements Contents List of Boxes 1 Introduction References 2 Sources and Methods 2.1 Written Sources 2.1.1 Archival Surveys 2.1.2 Literature Surveys 2.2 Maps and Graphical Depictions References 3 Traditions of a Royal Period (Until 1795) 3.1 Summary 3.2 The Historical Background of BPF as a Royal Forest 3.3 Environmental Impact of Royal Hunts and Centuries of Traditional Use of BPF 3.4 Cultural Heritage of the Royal Period in BPF 3.5 BPF in the Works of Naturalists, Travellers and Artists Until the End of the Eighteenth Century References 4 The Beginning of the Imperial Period (1796–1837) 4.1 Summary 4.2 Former Royal Forest Under the Management of the Ministry of Finance 4.3 Material Imprints: Reshaping the Map of the Forest 4.4 Cultural Heritage of the Period: Local Knowledge on Forest Habitats and Białowieża’s Legends 4.5 The Interest of Naturalists, Foresters and Travellers of the First Third of the Nineteenth Century in BPF References 5 Mixed Management Goals (1838–1860) 5.1 Summary 5.2 The Historical Background: Continuous Attempts at Introducing Proper Forest Management and the First Tsar’s Hunt in BPF 5.3 Culturally Modified Trees and Division of BPF into Compartments as Material Imprints of the Period 5.4 Cultural Heritage of the Period: Successful Experiments with Creating Bison Cattle Hybrids Conducted by Leopold Walicki 5.5 Travellers and Naturalists Recognition of BPF and the Unofficial View on the First Tsar’s Hunt in the Forest References 6 The Restoration Period (1861–1888) 6.1 Summary 6.2 Forestry Department’s Attempt at Creating a Game Reserve in BPF 6.3 European Bison from BPF in the Collections of Museums, Universities and Curiosity Chambers Around the World 6.4 Traditional Beekeeping and Beekeepers in BPF 6.5 BPF in in the Works of Naturalists, Artists and Travellers Until 1888 References 7 The Tsars’ Private Hunting Ground (1888–1915) 7.1 Summary 7.2 BPF Under the Management of Appanage Administration 7.3 Imperial Palace and Other Material Imprints of the Period in BPF 7.4 Botanists, Zoologists, Forestry Scientists and Veterinarians Interest in BPF and Opening of the First Natural History Museum in Białowieża 7.5 View from Outside: The British Recognition of the Forest and European Bison References 8 The End of the Imperial Epoch 8.1 Summary 8.2 State of the Forest During WWI and the Extermination of European Bison 8.3 Long-Lasting Impact of BPF Management, Protection and Exploitation in the Long Nineteenth Century 8.4 European Bison from BPF in European Zoos and Nature Parks 8.5 The International Concern about European Bison and BPF during WWI References 9 Conclusions—Learning the Past to Understand the Future of BPF References La quatrième de couverture indique : "Understanding the current state and dynamics of any forest is impossible without recognizing its history. Białowieża Primeval Forest (BPF), located on the border between Poland and Belarus, is one of the best preserved European lowland forests and a subject of myriads of works focusing on countless aspects of its biology, ecology, and management. After few centuries (14th-18th) of protection as a royal forest and game reserve of Polish kings and Lithuanian grand dukes, the forest fell under the rule of Russian state and later (since 1888) - under personal ownership of Russian tsars. During the long 19th century many of "older" ways of multi-functional utilisation of the forest (haymaking, bee-keeping, cattle pasturing, etc.) underwent changes in accordance with the requirements of the new administration and principles of "rational" forestry. They were put under tighter control, or even fell under the ban. However, attempts at introducing the "rational" forestry in the last refugium of European bison were hindered by numerous obstacles. The entire long 19th century (in this case 1795-1915) in the history of BPF is a story of struggle between "traditional" use, new administrative trends in forest and game management and the rising perception of the primeval or pristine forest. The book shows the historical background and the outcome of this struggle: BPF's history in the long 19th century focusing on tracking all cultural imprints, both material (cultural landscapes, introduced alien species, human-induced processes) and immaterial(traditional knowledge of forest and use of forest resources, the political and cultural significance of the forest, scientific research) that shaped the state and picture of one of the last truly wild forests of Europe." Understanding the current state and dynamics of any forest is impossible without recognizing its history. Bia ̄wie纡 Primeval Forest (BPF), located on the border between Poland and Belarus, is one of the best preserved European lowland forests and a subject of myriads of works focusing on countless aspects of its biology, ecology, and management. After few centuries (14th-18th) of protection as a royal forest and game reserve of Polish kings and Lithuanian grand dukes, the forest fell under the rule of Russian state and later (since 1888) - under personal ownership of Russian tsars. During the long 19th century many of "older" ways of multi-functional utilisation of the forest (haymaking, bee-keeping, cattle pasturing, etc.) underwent changes in accordance with the requirements of the new administration and principles of "rational" forestry. They were put under tighter control, or even fell under the ban. However, attempts at introducing the "rational" forestry in the last refugium of European bison were hindered by numerous obstacles. The entire long 19th century (in this case 1795-1915) in the history of BPF is a story of struggle between "traditional" use, new administrative trends in forest and game management and the rising perception of the primeval or pristine forest. The book shows the historical background and the outcome of this struggle: BPF's history in the long 19th century focusing on tracking all cultural imprints, both material (cultural landscapes, introduced alien species, human-induced processes) and immaterial(traditional knowledge of forest and use of forest resources, the political and cultural significance of the forest, scientific research) that shaped the state and picture of one of the last truly wild forests of Europe