Characteristics and Importance of Small Scale Forestry in Slovenia : Tagung der IUFRO-Gruppe "Small-scale Forestry"

1993

S. 89-99

8 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200035030

Slovenia is mainly a hilly country on the southern part of the Alps and it stretches from the north Adriatic to the verge of Pannonia in the east. More than half of the area is covered by forests (1.1 mil. ha). The majority of tree species are coniferous trees with 56%. There are 37% of state forests, the rest are private forest estates. It is expected that the private share will have risen to 80% when the new legislation which will enable the returning of the estates taken away in the past is realised. At the moment, the forests are owned by over 250,000 forest owners, many of them are not linked with forests. Therefore, the average forest estate is very small (less than 3ha). A detailed share survey of the forest area, as regards the size of forest estate and socioeconomic category of the owners, shows, that the majority of forests is owned by the owners from part-time and full-time farms (only the owners with more than 1ha forest area are included). These farmers possess more than two thirds of forests. As regards the size of the estates, the estate larger than 15ha predominates, but the majority of the owners are smallholders. The disadvantage of the estate structure is increased by the fact, that many farmers have got their own forest estate separated in many parts. It is obvious that economical work in forest is very difficult in such conditions. This is evident in all aspects connected with forest production: as to the state of forest owners's equipment, their interest in cooperation and care for forests, their knowledge and readiness for educating, regarding their safety at work, which is critically low with forest owners, etc. At the moment, it is expected that, besides the fact that the share of Slovene private forests will rise, also their independence in the decision-making as to the managing of forests will increase. Therefore one of the most important emphases of the new forest legislation, which is being prepared, is the care to keep public interest over all forests in the country.