Spontaneous return of forest onto once cleared areas — Secondary succession

Abstract

In spite of age-old progressing deforestation numerous cases of natural reforestation are known in the Bialowieza Forest, e.g. the invasion of pine and mixed forest onto the abandoned fields of the village Czoło (at present forest district Browsk), deciduous forest overgrowing burying grounds with tumuli and charcoal burning sites, as well as the growth of powerful trees on the tumuli and charcoal piles (Photo II-4), the return of riverside and bog forest into the valleys of the rivers Narewka, Hwoźna and Leśna Zachodnia when mowing was ceased (Photo IX-1, Fig. V-37), overgrowth of smaller clearings which had transiently been inhabited (e.g. Clearing Łagiery in the present National Park), finally numerous signs of natural afforestation of old meadows and fields as soon as they are abandoned. This is observed on the oldest settlement clearing, Polana Białowieska (cf. ch. VIII.2.6).