Last stand for Europe's remaining ancient forest as loggers prepare to move in

Government plans to fell Poland's BiaAowieA1/4a forest have divided families, led to death threats against green campaigners and allegations of an 'environmental coup' by government and state timber interests

Europe's last primeval forest is facing what campaigners call its last stand as loggers prepare to start clear-cutting trees, following the dismissal of dozens of scientists and conservation experts opposed to the plan.

Poland's new far right government says logging is needed because more than 10% of spruce trees in the Unesco world heritage site of BiaAowieA1/4a are suffering from a bark beetle outbreak. But nearly half the logging will be of other species, according to its only published inventory.