Bialowieza Forest is being seen as a unique object of nature. Huge forest with area of 125 thousands ha, the last one with such shape on European Lowlands is actually worth its name and protection. Saving its natural character it became often the last mainstay of many thousands of plants and animals with its king - bison.

But Forest is not only nature; it's also people and their history. For many centuries they've tamed, colonized and exploited it. Settlement that developed in Forest and in its surroundings has always been in close relation to it. Forest was also a borderline where many different ethnic groups and denominations met. At least since XV century 2 neighbouring Russian groups have been dated: the first one, Belorussian population, coming from North East from the region of Wolkowysk and the second one, arriving from Brest, Wolyn population. Later on, populations inside the Forest mingled, also because of bringing railway guards from Mazowsze and arrival and settle of other groups. But on the rims ethnic bounds stayed distinct: in the North and East Belorussians settled, in the South and West - Little Russians (today also called Russians or Ukrainians).To date this area is typical for its cultural wealth reflecting in ethnic and denominational mosaic. As an expression of it orthodox and catholic churches' domes, roadside concentrations of wooden crosses and chapels and scattered across fields and groves multidenominational cemeteries can be seen. It's also typical wooden architecture with all wealth of styles and commonly applied decorations (shutters, corners, summits and wind gages etc.) Forms of decorations are very often referring to natural elements (with floral and animal origins) proving strong connections of local society to surrounding environment. Cultural distinction is being also clearly seen in things of everyday use.

All this makes Bialowieza Forest region, treated much wider than just by the rims of wood, not only rich in natural wealth but also precious cultural treasure.

This publication being an effect of pilot programme of stocktaking relics realized in framework of DANCEE „Pushcha without borders" Project is an attempt of showing only part of cultural supplies of Bialowieza Forest region, created during centuries by local people in symbiosis with this natural organism.

We hope that it will help to strengthen awareness of great value of our fathers' heritage, to mark how much have we got to loose and show the direction of putting our efforts together to keep our cultural heritage save.

Miroslaw Stepaniuk
Coordinator of the project from PTOP

CONTENTS
The introduction
Miroslaw Stepaniuk, Victor Fenchuk
Introductory information
Halina Lapihska
„Pushcha without borders" Project
Miroslaw Stepaniuk, Victor Fenchuk
FORUM on the conservation of cultural and natural heritage of Bialowieza Forest region
Miroslaw Stepaniuk, Victor Fenchuk
The main aims and preconditions, as well as the course of the inventory workshops
Leanid Nesciarchuk
The main stages of establishment and functioning of the system of conservation of historical and cultural heritage in Belarus and Poland
Jerzy Maciejczuk, Dariusz Stankiewicz Conservation of historical monuments in Poland - organisational and legislative aspects
Mikalai Cherkas
Belavezhskaia pushcha on maps
Halina Lapihska
The examples of cultural heritage of several polish-belarusian communes of the Bialowieza Forest region - the need for their protection and conservation
Artur Gawel
Architectonic decorations in wooden architecture on the territory
of Dubicze Cerkewne commune
Miroslaw Stepaniuk
Historical cemetery in Dubicze Cerkiewne village
Mikalai Cherkas
Bialowieza imperial palace
Halina Lapihska, Aliaxandra Luksha
Kapyly - park-and-palace complex, inventory and evaluation of preservation level
Mikalai Ulasiuk
The concept of revalorization of the park-and-palace complex „Kapyly" in Pieramoha village (Kameniets district)
Jerzy Ostapczuk
Notes on the issue of conservation and use of wooden architecture
Halina Lapihska, Aliaxandra Luksha
Wooden hut in Razhkouka village, inventory and an attempt of reconstruction
Sviatlana Slovik
From the history of Bialowieza Forest region development
Larysa Bytsko
Mystery of the Pushcha - from the one-day ethnographical expedition
Victor Fenchuk
The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) as one of the components of ecological tourism development in Belavezhskaia Pushcha region