Both practitioners and scholars have neglected the social aspects of nature conservation. e recent socio- economic transition in Central and Eastern Europe has led to increasing awareness of the necessity to integrate the needs of communities into the management of natural environments. e authors argue that in Poland the growing awareness of the connection between local communities and the nature conservation needs to be followed by more community participation in the management of natural environments. By highlighting the human element in nature conservation and the concept of empowerment, the article discusses the validity of using participatory approaches to biodiversity management in CEE and in Poland.