GB No. 8, summer 1992
The General Manager of the National Forests, one Mr Rodziewicz, who - as he himself proudly declared - is personally responsible for the wellbeing of the country's forests, is also very keen on making a personal selection of his immediate office personnel. As a boss he therefore likes to learn all about the hobbies of his prospective staff, putting a particular emphasis on whether they are fond of literature and history or, in a more phisical domain, whether they happen to be keen anglers, mountaineers, sailors or athletes. All that extra data is supposedly helping him to make correct personal decisions in regard to their prospective business assignments abroad.
He also holds a firm view that deer roaming freely the country's forests are in fact causing an extensive damage to them and, by virtue of being so numerous, are also effectively jeopardizing the forest nurseries. When asked about an excessive lumbering in the country's forests - given the fact that the total area of National Parks and nature reserves in Poland is a mere 0.56% of the territory (in fact one of the worst ratios in Europe) - he replied rather disarmingly that the lumbering is actually designed to enhance the cultivation of the existing forested areas.
It is exactly like saying that in order to enjoy a daily bath one has to make a sacrifice and go without drinking water. The forests under his jurisdiction, he maintains, grow free of any political bias, firmly in the direction of the government policies (sic!). The gentle rustle of wind in the tree tops sounds as noncommittal as ever...
Jerzy Oszelda
(Based on the Polish Radio III
interview, broadcast on September 10, 1992).
ZB 10/92
transl. by Sigullum Ltd.