UNESCO calls for ceasing logging in beech forests

Juraj Lukáč, representative of the forests protection NGO VLK, informed on Thursday that the UNESCO committee had approved a resolution about the insufficient protection of the Slovak part of the UNESCO protected primeval beech forests of the Carpathians and the ancient beech forests of Germany. On Wednesday, the committee signed a document pointing at the fact that only some parts of the Slovak components of this locality are protected against logging. This is, however, happening despite measures taken and a voluntary commitment by some entities not to perform logging activities in this territory. UNESCO also states that no Integrated Management Plan was prepared for the Slovak components of this site. Its committee reiterated the requirement not to perform any logging within the boundaries of this territory. The Slovak partners have to provide the World Heritage Centre with an updated report on the state of protection of this site and on implementing the end of logging by February 2018.