The National Park was created for the preservation in their natural state and comprehensive study of the standard and unique natural complexes and sites of the Belovezhsky Primeval Forest, the biological and landscape diversity of the territory.
Uniqueness:
Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it has been designated a biosphere reserve and awarded the Council of Europe’s Diploma of Protected Areas.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha is unique primarily due to the presence of relict plain forests, which have survived as fragments in other parts of the European continent. It is the oldest forest in Eastern Europe, first mentioned in 983 AD. Ancient oaks, some over 500 years old, as well as centuries-old ash trees, pines, and firs, have survived in the National Park to this day. The oldest tree is around 600 years old.
The Park is home to a diverse range of animals and birds, including the largest population of European Bison and White-Tailed Eagle. Mammals of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha are currently represented by 59 species, which is 85 per cent of the fauna of Belarus.
About 70 per cent of all known plants in Belarus grow in the National Park. There are 59 species of higher vascular plants listed in the national Red Data Book.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha was a favorite hunting ground for the great Lithuanian and Polish princes. The first recorded hunt in Belovezhskaya Pushcha took place in 1409.
The historically famous place in the forest is Viskuli hunting estate where the accords declaring the dissolution of the USSR were signed.
