20/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - Commission asked to investigate logging project in Bialoxwieza Forest. On Tuesday 19 April, a collective of seven NGOs asked the European Commission to investigate a logging project in Poland's Bialoxwieza Forest, a Natura 2000 zone that is protected under EU legislation and part of UNESCO's world heritage. The NGOs are questioning the go-ahead given by the Polish Minister for the Environment, Jan Szyszko, to this project, which, according to the NGOs is illegal because it infringes Article 6 of the Habitats Directive. The NGO, ClientEarth, lodged the complaint and stated “We told the Minister his action was illegal, but he didn't listen". This NGO is also supported by WWF, BirdLife International, Greenpeace Poland, Greenmind, Fundacja and Dzika Polksa. A recent report from the WWF demonstrated that there are at least 12 natural legally protected sites in Europe that are included on UNESCO's heritage list, which are under threat (see EUROPE 11526). (AN)