In Poland, the policy of protection of mountains is part of the guidelines of the National Environmental Policy. Strategic decisions are taken in accordance with the Act on Nature Conservation of October 16, 1991. For example, decisions regarding the establishment of National parks and reserves are made at the central level by the Minister of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry, and decisions on establishing other spatial forms of protection are taken at the level of provincial administration and by National Forests. Regional Water Management Boards supervise activities in the field of water protection. The plans of local spatial planning authorities constitute the basis for the implementation of the mountain areas protection policy.
Local communities make the local law in order to stimulate local development and protective actions.
They also appoint the persons responsible for the implementation of each task and define the level of financial resources for their implementation. This approach is often used to establish bodies responsible for the management and protection of water, waste management, and the conduct of common actions to increase public ecological awareness. Mountain forests are protected as soil and water protection forests and recreational forests. Currently, there is no danger of excessive deforestation of the mountain area. Part of the mountain area, for example West Beskidy, is covered by special zones of sustainable development of forests, the so-called Forest Promotional Complex.