<
https://www.dw.com/en/walls-versus-wildlife-polands-eastern-border-cuts-through-important-forest-habitats-bison-lynx/a-74823964>
“Along the Polish-Belarusian border, a kaleidoscope of golden, yellow and
orange leaves hangs from magnificent, centuries-old trees. Lush moss carpets
the ground of the Bialowieza Forest, which took root after the Earth's last ice
age 12,000 years ago.
"It is a truly unique place," said Mateusz Szymura, who grew up in the area and
is now head of nature conservation for Poland's Bialowieza National Park that
lies within the forest. "It has a beauty that can't be bought."
But the forest — a 140,000-hectare (346,000-acre) UNESCO World Heritage site
that is home to European bison, lynx, pygmy owls and 10,000 varieties of fungi
— is on the frontlines of a geopolitical battle and migration crisis.
In July 2022, Poland completed the construction of a 186-kilometer (116-mile)
fence along its border with Belarus and through the transboundary forest.
The 5.5-meter metal barrier topped with barbed wire and security cameras was
erected to prevent migrants — many from the Middle East and increasingly the
Horn of Africa — from entering Poland as a gateway into the European Union.
Katarzyna Zdanowicz, a spokesperson for Poland's border patrol, told DW
there are as many as 3,000 guards and soldiers policing the so-called "green
border" in an effort to block potential asylum seekers from entering the
country. She said about 30,000 attempts to cross the frontier were logged by
authorities in 2024.
Analysts say migrants are being weaponized in a "hybrid" war by pro-Russian
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko in retaliation for EU sanctions
against his country.”
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
