Puszcza Zielona (; {{lit, Green Wilderness) is a forest in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
which extends from the
Narew River
The Narew (; be, Нараў, translit=Naraŭ; or ; Sudovian language, Sudovian: ''Naura''; Old German: ''Nare''; uk, Нарва, translit=Narva) is a 499-kilometre (310 mi) river primarily in north-eastern Poland, which is also a tributar ...
and the border with the region of
Masuria
Masuria (, german: Masuren, Masurian: ''Mazurÿ'') is a ethnographic and geographic region in northern and northeastern Poland, known for its 2,000 lakes. Masuria occupies much of the Masurian Lake District. Administratively, it is part of the ...
. It is bounded on the east by the
Pisa River
The Pisa (; german: Pissek) is a river in north-eastern Poland with a length of 82 km and a basin area of 4,510 km2.Orzyc River. The forest lies in a lowland and contains a wet sandy soil, but it is rich in various minerals which are mined.
The Green Wilderness (Puszcza Zielona) is usually associated with the White Wilderness (
Puszcza Biała
Puszcza Biała (, ''White Wilderness'') is the name given to the forest that extends in Poland from Pułtusk to Ostrów Mazowiecka. It is part of the Mazovian lowlands and consists of small trees, mostly pine.
The White Wilderness (Puszcza Biała) ...
), and together the two forests are often referred to as the Kurpie Forest (
Puszcza Kurpiowska
Puszcza Kurpiowska or Kurpiowska Forest, (, also ''Kurpie Forest'') is the collective name of Poland's two wilderness areas: Puszcza Biała and Puszcza Zielona (White and Green Forests), located in the central basin of Narew and Kurpiowska Plain. I ...
) because the two forests were populated by inhabitants who, over the centuries retained their distinct ethnic character. Due to isolation they developed a unique culture of their own, called
Kurpie
Kurpie () is one of a number of ethnic regions in Poland, noted for its unique traditional customs, such as its own types of traditional costume, traditional dance and distinctive type of architecture and livelihoods. Kurpie is also the name of t ...
.
History
The forest was first ordered colonized by Duke
Janusz I of Warsaw
Janusz I of Warsaw (pl: ''Janusz I warszawski''), also known as Janusz I the Old (pl: ''Janusz I Starszy'') (c. 1347/52 – 8 December 1429), was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast in the Masovian branch, from 1373/74 Duke of Warsaw and ...
in the first half of the 14th century by peasants and petty nobles. Colonization continued on and off subsequently, and its inhabitants, because of their isolation by living deep in a forest, developed a distinct culture. Other neighboring
Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...
gave them the name of ''kurpś'', because they retained their ancient tradition of making shoes made of fibers from the
linden tree
''Tilia'' is a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree is known as linden for the European species, and basswood for North American species. In Britain and Ireland they ...
and sealed with
lime
Lime commonly refers to:
* Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit
* Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide
* Lime (color), a color between yellow and green
Lime may also refer to:
Botany ...
.
Current status
Because of deliberate cutting down of forest, even though the area is not suitable for agriculture, much of the forest remains in broken patches. Villages which once housed Kurpie-style structures have now been replaced, for the most part, by more modern structures.
After the
Fall of Communism
The Revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, was a revolutionary wave that resulted in the end of most communist states in the world. Sometimes this revolutionary wave is also called the Fall of Nations or the Autumn of Natio ...
, portions of the forest are being preserved and protected as nature preserves by the
Polish government
The Government of Poland takes the form of a Unitary state, unitary Parliamentary republic, parliamentary Representative democracy, representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Poland, President is the head of state and the Prime ...
Polish forests
Forests cover an estimated 35% of Poland's territory, and are mostly owned by the state. And are increasing at a fast rate by 2035 Polands forest percentage will be 40-42%. Western and northern parts of Poland as well as the Carpathian Mountain ...
*
Puszcza Kurpiowska
Puszcza Kurpiowska or Kurpiowska Forest, (, also ''Kurpie Forest'') is the collective name of Poland's two wilderness areas: Puszcza Biała and Puszcza Zielona (White and Green Forests), located in the central basin of Narew and Kurpiowska Plain. I ...
*
Puszcza Biała
Puszcza Biała (, ''White Wilderness'') is the name given to the forest that extends in Poland from Pułtusk to Ostrów Mazowiecka. It is part of the Mazovian lowlands and consists of small trees, mostly pine.
The White Wilderness (Puszcza Biała) ...
*
Kurpie
Kurpie () is one of a number of ethnic regions in Poland, noted for its unique traditional customs, such as its own types of traditional costume, traditional dance and distinctive type of architecture and livelihoods. Kurpie is also the name of t ...
References
*
Puszcza Zielona
Puszcza Zielona (; {{lit, Green Wilderness) is a forest in Poland which extends from the Narew River and the border with the region of Masuria. It is bounded on the east by the Pisa River and on the west by the Orzyc River. The forest lies in a l ...
Puszcza Kurpiowska
Puszcza Kurpiowska or Kurpiowska Forest, (, also ''Kurpie Forest'') is the collective name of Poland's two wilderness areas: Puszcza Biała and Puszcza Zielona (White and Green Forests), located in the central basin of Narew and Kurpiowska Plain. I ...