Status and challenges of small-scale private forest management in actual ecological and social circumstances : Croatia case study

Gospodarenje šumama u Hrvatskoj je pretežito koncentrirano i usmjereno prema šumama u državnom vlasništvu, koje je stoga obilježeno stalnošću i dosljednošću planiranja i provedbe postupaka gospodarenja, te se provode načela održivog gospodarenja na svim razinama. Nasuprot tomu, privatne šume su uslijed povijesnih okolnosti te male zastupljenosti i usitnjenosti bile značajno zapostavljene sve do nedavno. Stoga je cilj ovog rada analizirati i prikazati postojeća obilježja privatnih šuma, šumoposjeda i šumoposjednika, kao i okolnosti gospodarenja tj. institucionalnog i regulatornog okvira u kojemu se ono odvija.Površinski udio od 24% i drvnu zalihu od 156 m3/ha uz bogatstvo vrstama i razvojnim stadijima čini privatne šume vrlo vrijednim prirodnim resursom. Iako je posljednjih godina ostvaren značajni napredak, neriješeni imovinsko-pravni odnosi, nedorečen Zakonski okvir te nepovoljna sociološka obilježja šumoposjednika (velik udio starije populacije i niska razina obrazovanja) otežavaju daljnje unaprjeđenje gospodarenja.Za razliku od katastarske baze podataka anketni upitnici vrijedan su izvor informacija o obilježjima šumoposjeda i šumoposjednika, poglavito za znanstvena istraživanja. Prosječna obilježja šumoposjednika prikazana u ovome radu (prosječna dob od 60 godina i razmjerno niska razina obrazovanja) nisu ohrabrujuća. Međutim, ipak bi donošenje šumarskih politika trebalo biti utemeljeno na spoznajama o tipovima i stavovima šumoposjednika, posebno onih koji su spremni aktivno se baviti šumarstvom. Pri tome jasno treba razdvojiti šumoposjednika koji gospodari šumom i stavlja šumske proizvode na tržište (šumoposjednici upisani u Upisnik) i vlasnika sitnih šumskih čestica koji šumu u većoj ili manjoj mjeri koriste za vlastite potrebe.Poseban problem planiranja uravnoteženog i održivog gospodarenja je postojeći usporedni sustav planiranja i gospodarenja razdvojen prema vlasništvu. Objedinjavanjem svih javnih nadležnosti nad šumama u jedinstvenu instituciju uz ustrojavanje većeg broja šumskogospodarskih područja omogućilo bi ispunjavanje zahtjeva potrajnog gospodarenja i održivosti šuma uz ostvarivanje dugoročnih javnih interesa.Za učinkovitu i potpunu uspostavu sveobuhvatnog i potrajnog gospodarenja šumama potrebno je od strane svih dionika usvajanje spoznaja o specifičnostima gospodarenja privatnim šumama, uključujući i primjenu dobivenih rezultata provedenih znanstvenih istraživanja.Forest management in Croatia traditionally has been dominantly concentrated and directed toward state owned forests, thus it characterized with continuity and consistency of forest management planning and performance of management treatments, as well as fulfillment of principles of sustainable management on all levels. On the contrary, due to historic circumstances, small share and scattered fragmented forest distribution private forests was significantly uncared for management until not long ago. Thus, aim of this paper is to analyze and to present actual characteristics of private forests, forest estate and forest owners, as well as management circumstances namely institutional and legislative framework in which it is exists.Share of 24 % according to area and growing stock of 156 m3/ha with richness tree species and tree/stand developmental stages indicate on valuable natural forest resource in Croatia. Although during last years has achieved particular progress, existing property-juridical and land-register questions, unsuitable institutional framework and adverse socio-demographic characteristics of forest owners (large share of old population, low level of education) load with further improvements of private forest management.With absence of complete data base, results of researches and surveys are valuable information sources describing the private forest owner’s characteristics. In consideration on obtained results of average characteristics of forest owners (average age of 60 years, low education level) are not satisfactory, strategy and guidelines making should be based on knowledge of private forest owners preferences and types, especially of that which are active and which are ready to be active in forest management. Thereby, there is need to segregate forest owners which manage their forests and offer forest products on market (recorded in Register) from forest owners which owns small forest parcels and more or less use their forests for their own needs.Improvement of balanced and sustainable private forest management planing would be based on transformation of the existing parallel forest management planning system divided according to categories of forest property (state, private). By integration of all publc competences over forests within unique institution with establishment more forest management regions, would provide fullfilment of requirements of sustainable forest management and long-term public interests. An effective and comprehensive establishment of sustainable private forest management is based on adoptation of knowledge and private forest management particularities including actual results of relevant scientific researches, from the all copartners of the forest management system