1. Introduction.- 2. Sources and methods.- 2.1. Written sources - archival and literature surveys.- 2.2. Maps and graphical depictions.- 2.3. Field surveys.- 2.4. Oral sources.- 2.5. Palaeoecological studies by other authors.- 3. Traditions of a royal forest (until 1795).- 3.1. The historical background: BPF as a royal hunting ground, access rights, types of use (haymaking, beekeeping), shifts in management in the 18th century, fall of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.- 3.2. Material imprints - the environmental impact of the period: system of conservation, creation of cultural landscapes due to centuries-long traditional use of forest resources (landscape of access area, landscape of a hunting garden), evolution of pure-pine stands as a result of centuries of fire use, establishment of the European bison protection and support system.- 3.3. Cultural heritage - role of BPF among royal forests, traditional knowledge - variety of uses for Scots pine and lime trees.- 3.4. View from outside: the recognition of the forest (BPF in the works of naturalists, artists, travellers until the end of the 18th century).- Boxes: 1. Biographical box: J. E. Giliberts studies of BPFs animals.- 2. Art/literature box: J.H. Muntzs depiction of an arboreal apiary.- 3. Species/processes/types of forest box: Cultural landscapes.- 4. The beginning of the imperial period (1796-1831).- 4.1. The historical background: BPF devoid of protection until 1802, return to the Polish system of management and its fall after the Polish national uprising of 1831.- 4.2. Material imprints - the environmental impact of the period: continuation of the 18th century trends with first attempts at drawing new, scientifically based management plans.- 4.3. Cultural heritage - BPF as a source of imperial gifts, Bialowieżas foresters role in the national uprising, traditional knowledge of the forest (local names of forest habitats that became the source of 20th century nomenclature).- 4.4. View from outside: the recognition of the forest (BPF in the works of naturalists, artists, travellers until 1831).- Boxes: 1. Biographical box: Julius Brinckens visits to BPF.- 2. Art/literature box: Jakub Sokolowskis depictions of the forest and its dwellers.- 3. Species/processes/types of forest box: European bison -primeval beast unintentionally supported by traditional use.- 5. Mixed management goals (1832-1863).- 5.1. The historical background: continuous attempts of the Russian administration at forest taxation, failed commercial timber production attempts, the first tsars hunt in BPF.- 5.2. Material imprints - wasted timber or remnants of past traditional forest use - culturally modified trees in BPF.- 5.3. Cultural heritage - the first Russian taxation of BPF, the first known management plan; worlds first successful experiments with creating bison-cattle hybrids conducted by Leopold Walicki; official and unofficial views on the first tsars hunt.- 5.4. View from outside: the recognition of the forest (BPF in the works of naturalists, artists, travellers until 1863).- Boxes: 1. Biographical box: Dmitrii Dolmatovs futuristic plans of BPFs management.- 2. Art/literature box: Michaly Zichy in the imperial forest.- 3. Species/processes/types of forest box: Bison-cattle hybrids.- 6: The restoration period (1864-1888).- 6.1. The historical background: shift in the management towards creation of a large game reserve connected with prohibition of several traditional ways of forest use.- 6.2. Material imprints - European bison from BPF in the collections of museums, universities and curiosity chambers around the world.- 6.3. Cultural heritage - beekeepers of BPF.- 6.4. View from outside: the recognition of the forest (BPF in the works of naturalists, artists, travellers until 1888).- Boxes: 1. Biographical box: Nobel prize winner Henryk Sienkiewicz in BPF.- 2. Art/literature box: Excursions to BPF in the literature of the second half of the 19th century.- 3.
