The share of area taken by poplar tree species in Poland account for 2.0% of the area of state forests, 4.8% of national parks and for 2.3% in the privately-owned forests. It is shown and expected an increase in the share of poplar stands connected with plantation of fast growing trees. The poplar wood is not resistant to Basidiomycetes fungi, easy attacked by insects and in consequence is regarded as not durable and rated to the 5. durability class. The possibilities of practical use of the wood for purposes of higher use classes, required enhancing of their durability. One of the ways to enhance the wood resistance to fungi is its impregnation with fungicide. It may have however an unfavourable effect on health and environmental conditions and in many situations cannot be used. The thermo- and thermo-oil modification of wood is considered as another more ecological friendly method of improving some unfavourable physical properties of wood and enhancing its resistance to fungi (particularly to Basidiomycetes). It may improve durability of the wood and do it usable for conditions for which it is, without modification, not enough durable. The changes in wood properties resulting from thermal modification strongly depend on thermal and moisture conditions of thermal modification process. We have undergoes poplar wood to modification using thermal modification, thermo modification together with impregnation with rape or linseed oils and in the form of only heat-oil treatment as well. Determination of the effect of poplar (Populus nigra) wood modification by the method on its resistance to Basidiomycetes fungi causing brown and white rot of wood was the aim of the research. The modified poplar wood tested by method based on EN 113 was more resistant to Coniophora puteana or Trametes versicolor respectively than natural (control) wood. It was valid after leaching (EN 84) also. The increasing of resistance to the fungi of wood treated with linseed oil was more distinctly than of wood treated with rapeseed oil. The durability classification of thermo- and thermo-oil modified poplar wood was raised in comparison to natural wood, but not change as a result of modification with oils only.

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