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Reuters
Reuters
Environment
Agnieszka Barteczko

Activists climb ancient trees to stop Polish logging

Environmental activists from several countries chain themselves to the trees during their action in the defence of one of the last primeval forests in Europe, Bialowieza forest, Poland August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

WARSAW (Reuters) - Activists climbed trees and blocked felling machines in Poland's primeval Bialowieza Forest on Tuesday in a bid to stop what they say is an illegal logging operation authorized by the government.

The campaigners accuse Warsaw of ignoring EU orders to protect one of Europe's last ancient woodlands - part of a wider clash between the bloc and its biggest eastern member.

Forest guards remove environmental activists from several countries during their action in the defence of one of the last primeval forests in Europe, Bialowieza forest, Poland August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

Poland's environment minister, Jan Szyszko, has dismissed the orders and the activists' allegations, saying the work is limited and only meant to control a beetle outbreak and remove weak, unsafe trunks.

Campaigners said they had seen evidence of commercial logging operations, threatening the habitat of the European bison, lynx and rare birds in a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"Activists from all over Europe came to protest against the destruction of our joint heritage and to demand its protection," Greenpeace official Robert Cyglicki said.

Forest guards and environmental activists from several countries are seen behind logs during an action in the defence of one of the last primeval forests in Europe, Bialowieza forest, Poland August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

He said Tuesday's protest was the biggest in the forest since Poland authorized an increase in felling in 2016.

Poland's ruling nationalist and eurosceptic Law and Justice party (PiS) has repeatedly clashed with EU officials since coming to power in 2015.

Activists and opposition politicians have accused the government of moving toward authoritarian rule by tightening control over courts and prosecutors, as well as state media.

Forest guards remove environmental activists from several countries during their action in the defence of one of the last primeval forests in Europe, Bialowieza forest, Poland August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

PiS says the criticism is unacceptable foreign meddling.

(Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Forest guards remove environmental activists from several countries during their action in the defence of one of the last primeval forests in Europe, Bialowieza forest, Poland August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
An environmental activist chains himself to a logging machine during an action in the defence of one of the last primeval forests in Europe, Bialowieza forest, Poland August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Forest guards remove environmental activists from several countries during an action in the defence of one of the last primeval forests in Europe, Bialowieza forest, Poland August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Forest guards remove environmental activists from several countries during an action in the defence of one of the last primeval forests in Europe, Bialowieza forest, Poland August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
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