Programme
– old growth, wolves and beavers tour in Białowieża Primeval Forest

The aim of the tour is to share with guests the cutting-edge state of knowledge on European old-growth forest ecology. Guests will learn how to distinguish natural forest processes and use their newly learned knowledge to repair and rewild ecosystems elsewhere in Europe.

• Hallmarks of a natural forest: Old-growth and how it differs from managed forests.
• Wolves, bears and lynx: Large carnivores and how they interact with forest species in their natural habitat.
• The beaver, the riverine ecological engineer: how it shapes river valleys and tree communities.

General daily plan: A mixture of talks and trips into the forest. Talks will involve slide shows with a projector (max 2 hours daily). Trips will involve a walks, bike rides, and drives into the forest, aiming for well-preserved (old-growth) woodland that will demonstrate what is covered in the talks.

Guests should expect plenty of hiking around a landscape that resembles the prehistoric forest that once covered the whole of the central European plain. 

With a PhD carried out at the Mammal Research Institute in Białowieża, I feel I can offer a service other guides cannot. I carried out my PhD research in Białowieża Forest and spent 5 years exploring how large carnivores impact their prey and how this, in turn, can shape species lower down the food chain, such as tree regeneration. During my research I noticed ecological processes here that have gone extinct elsewhere, in more human-dominated landscapes. These tours aim to share what I have learned.

Tours will also include a bison safari, where we search for these megafauna by car and foot (chance of spotting them is very seasonally dependent).

The price for a 5-day tour is 4600 PLN (⁓€1060; no additional fees/taxes). Food and accommodation is included, as is a car transfer from/to Warsaw. A 25% deposit would be required to confirm a booking. Tours can be shortened or extended by a day, depending on the wishes of groups clients, with the price being adjusted accordingly. If guests would like a single room, please add 100 PLN per night.

• Breakfast at guest house.
• Drive back to Warsaw. Lunch in restaurant on the way.
• Drop off at Warsaw Chopin Airport or City Centre by 14:00.