The Lipusz Forest, located in Poland’s Pomeranian Voivodeship, is home to an impressive memorial known as the “Forest Eagle”. This remarkable living sculpture was born from tragedy. In August 2017, a storm, referred to as the “hurricane of the century”, devastated Kashubia, levelling forests and destroying over 2 million cubic metres of timber.
Determined to restore the land, 3,000 volunteers, including 1,200 scouts and nearly 200 foresters, came together in 2018 to plant a symbolic forest covering more than 100,000 square metres. Using 100,000 trees, 67,000 pines for the background, 23,000 birches for the eagle’s feathers, and 400 golden larches for the crown and talons, they recreated Poland’s national emblem on a living canvas of 40,000 square metres.
The “Forest Eagle” changes colour with the seasons and is visible from above, serving as a tribute to resilience, regeneration, and loyalty. It also marks the 100th anniversary of Poland’s independence, adding deeper meaning to this unique act of environmental restoration.
This project demonstrates how nature and human ingenuity can intertwine. From the devastation of the hurricane rose a masterpiece of life, a testament to the power of community, the endurance of forests, and the deep roots of national pride in Poland.
