The initiatives on forests emerging under the auspices of the EU embrace a considerable diversity of forest structure as well as different ofganisationai and functional principles of forestry in the Member States, fostering, an understandable interest on the part of foresters in what is happening to forests and forestry throughout the EU. The desire to better acquaint foresters with the aforesaid information on forests and forestry in different EUcountries was a major-premise behind the Forest Research Institute in Warsaw announcing its intention to issue the present publicatlon - an event that took place before the end of 2004. This was also intended to mark the 75th anniversary of the Institute's founding. In order to provide information as reliable and up-to-date as possible, the Institute turned to the appropriate individuals and institutions in each of the Member States, as well as to the Agriculture and Environment Directorates General at the European Commission. Any disparity in the studies returned Is thus in part a natural reflection of particular authors' personal preferences and interests, but first and foremost a consequence of the varied natural, economic and social conditions affecting forest structure in the different Member States, as well as the various goals and tasks that have been assigned those forests and the people responsible for them. This diversity in European forestry is one of its undoubted strengths stimulating the acquisition of relevant Information and know-how, as well as enriching the data compiled on prerequisites and their natural consequences. The studies presented here provide a unique guide to forests and forest issues lin the EU.
