The European Union's top advocate said Tuesday that Poland has broken environmental laws with its massive logging of trees in one of Europe's last pristine forests. The opinion by Advocate General Yves Bot could bring a ruling from the EU's Court of Justice against Poland's actions in the Bialowieza Forest a step nearer. Observers say the opinions from the advocate general are often adopted in final rulings. Environmentalists and EU experts say the large-scale felling of trees destroys rare animal habitats and plants, in violation of regulations. The forest covers tens of thousands of hectares (hundreds of thousands of acres) in Poland and Belarus, and is home to hundreds of animal and plant species, including bison, lynx, moss and lichens.

Source: ABC News February 20, 2018 10:09 UTC