UEF President Tomasz Markiewicz Highlights Key Challenges for European Forestry in Poland

Early September was a particularly active period for UEF President Tomasz Markiewicz, who took part in two major forestry-related events in Poland within just a few days: the 125th Congress of the Polish Forest Society in Starachowice and an International conference on wildfires in Poznań.
Although the two events addressed different aspects of forestry, both highlighted the same fundamental challenge: the need for close, professional and knowledge-based cooperation in response to climate change, new regulatory pressures and the growing risks facing Europe's forests.
Starachowice: European forest policy in focus
From 2 to 5 September 2026, Starachowice hosted the 125th Congress of Delegates of the Polish Forest Society, accompanied by a scientific session entitled "Objectives, Methods and Directions for Improving Multifunctional Forest Management."
The event brought together leading representatives of Polish forestry science and practice to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing the sector today, including climate change adaptation, nature conservation, the productive role of forests and the future direction of forest policy.
The Polish Forest Society is one of Poland's oldest and most important organisations representing the forestry community. Founded in 1882, it brings together practitioners and scientists, promotes research and professional exchange, and plays an important role in shaping debate on the future of forests and forest management in Poland. Today, it has more than 5,000 members nationwide.
During the Congress, Tomasz Markiewicz took part in an expert debate on European Union regulations affecting forest management and the different ways in which European countries are responding to new legal and policy requirements.
From the UEF perspective, one of the key messages was that European forest policy must combine shared climate and environmental ambitions with recognition of the ecological, social and economic diversity of individual countries.
These concerns were also reflected in the "Świętokrzyskie Appeal" adopted during the Congress. The document identifies climate change - including drought, water shortages, extreme weather events and an increasing risk of wildfires - as one of the key threats to the long-term resilience of Polish forests.
The Appeal also stresses the importance of active forest adaptation, science-based decision-making and practical forestry experience. At the same time, it calls for a balanced approach to environmental, social and economic objectives and for a careful assessment of the wider consequences of proposed changes to forest policy and management.
It also highlights the strategic importance of wood as a renewable raw material and the role of sustainable forest management in supporting forest regeneration, adaptive restructuring, fire protection and water retention.
The participation of the UEF President added a broader European dimension to the discussion, bringing in the experience and perspectives of foresters from countries represented across the Union of European Foresters.
Poznań: stronger cooperation between foresters and firefighters
A few days later, on 8-9 September 2026, Tomasz Markiewicz took part in the international conference "Wildfires in Non-Urban Areas: Problems, Challenges, Opportunities" in Poznań.
The event was organised within an Erasmus+ project led by the Polish State Fire Service in cooperation with the Spanish organisation Fundació Pau Costa. Its aim was to strengthen expertise in large-scale wildfire response, encourage international exchange and improve preparedness for fires that, under changing climatic conditions, may become larger, more dynamic and increasingly difficult to control.
In a programme dominated by fire protection specialists, the UEF President brought an important forestry and forest management perspective to the discussion.
In his presentation, he addressed the impact of climate change on forests and the role that forests and forest management can play in reducing and mitigating its effects. He also stressed that effective wildfire prevention starts long before a fire breaks out.
It requires appropriate forest management, prevention measures, monitoring, risk reduction, sound spatial planning and the adaptation of forest stands to increasingly challenging climatic conditions.
The conference also underlined the importance of close and continuous cooperation between firefighters and foresters. As wildfire risks increase across many parts of Europe, the operational experience of emergency services must be combined with the knowledge of those responsible for forest management, protection and adaptation.
Only such an integrated approach can ensure effective action before, during and after a wildfire - from prevention and emergency response to the recovery and restoration of affected forest ecosystems.
Both events strongly reflect the mission of the Union of European Foresters: to represent forestry professionals across Europe, contribute to the debate on forest policy and create opportunities for cooperation and knowledge exchange between foresters, scientists, public authorities and other services responsible for the future of Europe's forests.