Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Forester Day in Poland is a celebration of the forestry industry, which we celebrate on 12 July. On this day we remember the person of Saint John Gwalbert, the patron saint of all people of the forest: foresters, forest rangers, and all those working in and for the forest.
Saint John Gwalbert is an abbot who lived at the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries. He was associated with the Benedictines and dedicated his life to the care of the forests. He decided to build a monastery near Fiesole in Italy with the other monks to care for the woods surrounding their community. In 1951, Pope Pius XII declared him the patron saint of foresters and forest people.
This year’s central celebration of Foresters’ Day is being held in Stary Sącz. It is also the inauguration of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the State Forests. The anniversary events will continue from today until the end of 2024.
In 1920, there were only 2.24 million stands under the State Forests’ management. Now there are more than 7.3 million hectares!
State Forests continue to change, and for the last 100 years, Polish foresters have been taking care of this with full commitment. This is a source of pride for the entire forestry industry and an opportunity to celebrate Forester Day. May forests be protected and developed for the benefit of future generations.
