This ancient Spruce forest was clear-cut under the orders of the Polish Environmental Minister Jan Szyszko. Deforestation was justified for ‘safety reasons’ and to control the bark-beetle outbreak. As a signature of the EU’s Nature 2000, Poland was obligated to protect every part of the forest deemed essential for the preservation of threatened species and habitats. Forestry has close ties to polish national identity. Action by the EU was politicised by Poland’s right wing government as ‘outside interference’ and used to challenge local protests against logging.