Residents of Nekla battle illegal quad biking in protected forests, criticizing government officials for offering only verbal support instead of concrete action.
Illegal Quad Biking Threatens Protected Wildlife
Residents of Nekla are fighting against a local individual who repeatedly drives a quad bike into forest areas containing protected beaver lodges and spring crane nesting grounds. The Czerniejewo Forest District manages state forests in the area covering over 13,500 hectares.
Zofia (name changed), a Nekla resident, reports that the quad rider not only damages the local environment but also consistently disturbs the peace of residents and animals. The most affected are beavers, as the rider organizes excursions over their frozen habitat. Residents fear that during the nesting season, the individual could completely destroy crane habitats and disturb the peace of birds that have laid eggs there.
Years of Complaints with Limited Action
“We have been fighting with people riding quads and cross-country motorcycles for many years,” says Zofia. “We report the problem to the city roads department, but unfortunately nothing has been achieved except that we record such visitors.” She notes that word has spread among visitors that residents are not friendly to such riding, so there are slightly fewer now. However, they now face a neighbor with whom conversations lead to nothing.
As early as 2022, residents submitted a letter to the Nekla City Council about the issue and also spoke with the forest ranger about installing photo traps. “It’s rare for us to see people entering the forest; they usually have their license plates removed and move very quickly, creating additional hazards,” Zofia adds. “We really care about respecting this area, its peace and the richness of the nature around us.”
Government Response and Enforcement
On January 26, a meeting was held between Nekla residents, the forest ranger, and a representative of the Forest Service. “The gentlemen reacted as they should. I know they identified individuals. I also know that photo traps will be placed in the place we indicated,” says Zofia. The Forest Service issued fines to the identified individuals.
The Forest Service notes that interventions against quad and cross-country motorcycle users are often dangerous. “There have been situations where forest district employees sustained injuries because drivers tried to avoid being stopped,” they emphasize. Regular patrols are conducted both planned and in response to resident reports, in cooperation with police. Photo traps and drones are also used.
Legislative Changes Proposed
The Regional Directorate of State Forests in Poznań states that “current regulations are not adequate to the scale and nature of the problem we face.” They welcome a draft law prepared by the Ministry of Justice that would introduce harsher penalties, including community service or probation. The law would also hold accountable those who cause significant noise or damage plants, animals, fungi and their habitats.
The draft law underwent stormy consultations. In the original version, Article 161 of the Code of Offenses contained a provision about “significant” damage to animals, fungi and their habitats. Minister of Climate Paulina Henning-Kloska demanded removal of this word, arguing that assessing the “significance” of damage is too risky and imprecise, which was taken into account.
The draft amendment to criminal and offense codes is a response to the dramatic increase in forest damage in Poland. The number of violations under Article 161 of the Code of Offenses (unauthorized entry of a vehicle into a forest) increased from approximately 36,303 cases in 2021 to 57,713 in 2024, an increase of about 59%.
