REPOSITORY

THE NICOLAUS COPERNICUS UNIVERSITY
IN TORUŃ

is an institutional repository of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The task of the Repository is to promote scientific achievements and research conducted at NCU and to support teaching.

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From multilateral retreat to local engagement: the role of cities in the universal periodic review
(Oxford University Press, 2026-11-04) Szpak, Agnieszka
This commentary examines the implications of the United States’ 2025 withdrawal from the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for the future functioning of international human rights monitoring. It considers whether, and to what extent, the UPR could continue to operate in situations of State non-cooperation by relying on information submitted by ‘other stakeholders’, including local governments, under the existing framework established by Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1. Drawing on the experience of voluntary local reviews (VLRs) developed to monitor implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the commentary argues that many cities possess the institutional capacity, administrative expertise, and reporting experience necessary to contribute structured evidence on the local implementation of human rights. The VLR precedent demonstrates municipal reporting capacity rather than authority to assume functions reserved for States, making the analogy functional rather than legal. An initiative by nearly 150 American state and local elected officials urging the Human Rights Council to proceed with the UPR despite federal non-cooperation illustrates the practical relevance of this proposal. The commentary concludes that incorporating city-generated reports as stakeholder submissions could strengthen the evidentiary basis and resilience of the UPR while preserving its state-centred institutional architecture and contributing to a more multilevel approach to international human rights accountability.
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Living Archives: Pine Resin Harvesting and Culturally Modified Trees as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Poland
(Bachlaw Foundation, 2026) Pawłowska-Mainville, Agnieszka; Pająkowski, Jarosław; Chmarzyński, Franciszek
Pine resin harvesting, a traditional practice in Poland, involves carefully stripping a small section of bark to collect raw resin from pine trees. This skill, passed down through generations, has been integral to producing valuable goods such as turpentine, traditional medicine, glue, and other forest-based products. Resin harvesting played an important economic and cultural role in many rural communities, particularly in forested regions where livelihoods were closely connected to the sustainable use of non-timber forest resources. Today, pine resin harvesting is an at-risk element of Poland’s intangible cultural heritage, with only a few remaining practitioners left preserving and transmitting this knowledge. Preserving and revitalizing this practice is essential for its continuity across gen-erations, while conserving the old-growth trees marked by this tradition supports ecological diversity and strengthens the relationship between cultural heritage and the natural environment. This article explores the role of pine resin harvesting in the Lower Vistula River Valley and Tuchola Forest regions of Poland, emphasizing ongoing efforts to document and safeguard its associated knowledge and skills. Drawing on field research, interviews with knowledge holders, and collaboration with forestry institutions, it highlights the importance of intergenerational transmission and community engagement in sustaining this heritage. By situating pine resin harvesting within the context of culturally modified trees, the article demonstrates how resin-harvested pines function as living archives of human interaction with forest ecosystems. These trees provide tangible evidence of historical land-use practices while supporting biodiversity and ecological resilience. The article argues that documenting and recognizing this heritage not only contributes to the revitalization of an at-risk tradition, but also promotes a shift in forestry and conservation practices that acknowledges the interconnections between cultural heritage, ecological stewardship, and biocultural diversity.
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Harvesting Gold from Trees: Treebeekeeping as an Element of Forest Food Systems and Culinary Heritage in Poland
(ELTE RCH Institute of Ethnology – Museum of Ethnography, 2025) Pawłowska-Mainville, Agnieszka
This article explores the intricate relationship between the living cultural practice of tree-beekeeping, and its role within culinary heritage and food systems in Poland. By illustrating how tree-beekeeping is woven into the fabric of forest ecosystems, this article highlights how intangible cultural heritage custodians have forged a unique approach that not only sustains biodiversity but also fosters new ways of perceiving natural landscapes.
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Creating a quiet buzz: opportunities and challenges for meaningful participation of boreal forest apiarists in the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services
(Resilience Alliance, 2025) Pawłowska-Mainville, Agnieszka
Boreal apiary and beekeeping are characteristic of Eastern Europe and are passed down from generation to generation. Boreal apiary relies on ecological and cultural knowledge to protect honeybee diversity, change forestry practices, and ensure sustainable livelihoods. In this article I discuss the participation of Polish apiarists in the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services IPBES Values Assessment and the Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) meetings. Although the process permitted recognition of boreal apiary at a global stage, several obstacles, including essentialist typologies and Anglophone scientific discourses, convoluted meaningful participation. By elaborating on the apiarists’ ecocultural knowledge, I summarize the IPBES ILK Process, the limitations of active engagement by the apiarists, and offer considerations to make science-policy interface ILK engagement more inclusive for culture-custodians.

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