Białowieża Forest

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/biaowiea-forest

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Białowieża Forest?141,885 hectares (1,418.85 km²)
2. What is the population (european bison)?Exceeds 800 individuals
3. What is the scientific name (european bison)?Bison bonasus
4. Why is Białowieża Forest special?It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a safe refuge for the European bison, Europe's heaviest land animal. The forest also protects many other species and keeps ancient forest processes alive.
5. Where can I find Białowieża Forest?The forest lies southeast of Białystok in Poland and north of Brest in Belarus, right on the border between the two countries.

Primeval Forest: An ancient, undisturbed forest ecosystem characterized by old-growth trees and complex natural processes, representing a state of natural ecological succession.
European Bison (Wisent): The largest extant land mammal in Europe, a keystone species whose conservation is intrinsically linked to the health of its forest habitat.
UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme: An intergovernmental scientific program that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of the relationship between people and their environment.
Biodiversity: The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, encompassing all species, genetic variations, and ecosystems.