# Poland urban social forest pilot program

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/poland-urban-social-forest-pilot-program
> Updated: 2026-08-28T07:00:51.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

Poland is implementing a pilot program to establish “social forests” around major urban areas. Launched by the Ministry of Climate and Environment, these areas are designed to function as “green rings” for nature protection, climate change mitigation, and resident recreation, rather than for commercial logging.

Following the selection of Kielce and four surrounding municipalities for the pilot, the program has expanded. The Institute of Environmental Protection - National Research Institute (IOŚ-PIB) has initiated a second stage targeting nine metropolitan areas, including Warsaw, Bydgoszcz, and Toruń. This phase includes public geo-surveys and local meetings to map forest areas based on usage and importance. The initiative seeks to create a “map of maximum compatibility” to balance the interests of stakeholders, building on previous implementations near Wrocław where logging restrictions were introduced to protect biodiversity and water resources.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-28: Poland launches second pilot stage for urban social forests

Poland is conducting the second stage of a pilot program to establish social forests around nine major urban areas to balance nature conservation with public recreation.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/poland-launches-second-pilot-stage-for-urban-social-forests

### 2026-08-12: Kielce selected for pilot social forest program

Kielce and surrounding municipalities will pilot a “social forest” program to create green recreational rings focused on nature protection rather than commercial logging.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kielce-selected-for-pilot-social-forest-program

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Cite as: Poland urban social forest pilot program. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/poland-urban-social-forest-pilot-program