Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

The aim of this study was to assess losses resulting from forest damage in the State Forests National Forest Holding (SFNFH) between 2011 and 2023. Four main categories of willful damage were analyzed: timber theft, theft and destruction of property, illegal use of forest resources, and poaching. The analysis revealed that the total value of losses during the study period amounted to nearly PLN 90 million, with the largest shares attributed to timber theft (39%) and illegal forest use (32%). Poaching and theft or destruction of property each accounted for approximately 14% of total losses. A downward trend was observed in losses caused by timber theft and poaching, stability was noted in the case of theft and destruction of property, while losses related to illegal forest use showed a dynamic increase. The results also confirmed a significant spatial differentiation of losses between the regional directorates of the State Forests (RDSF), highlighting the need for further research into the factors determining their scale and structure.