📋 Tender Overview
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Mateja Calusic in Maribor is hosting a meeting of representatives of the Member States of the Extended Forest Group +, which this year is chaired by Slovenia. In addition to Austria, Finland, Sweden, Slovenia and France, the groups formally joined Italy and Latvia at this meeting with the official signature of the guidelines. The Forest Group + thus connects seven countries.Meeting of the Forest Group + | Author: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food
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The meeting in Maribor is aimed at in -depth political dialogue on the current challenges of the European Forestry Sector. The key topics of discussions are climate change and the role of forests as sinks of carbon, sustainable forest management, implementation of European legislation - including the Decree on the Research of Forests (EURDR) - and the new EU legislative proposal for forest monitoring. Directors of the Member State Forestry Institute also participate in the discussion, which enables direct integration of politics and science.
Slovenia has a long tradition of sustainable, multifunctional and sustainable management. Forests cover 58 percent of our country, which makes us one of the most forested EU members. Our model is based on the promotion of natural processes, natural restoration and bans bans, intertwining the economic, environmental and social functions of the forest. The Slovenian Forest Service plays a key role in this, which professionally supports more than 400,000 forest owners.
Recently, this approach was additionally confirmed by entering the sustainable forest management in the register of intangible cultural heritage. This is another confirmation that Slovenian forestry has a rich professional knowledge and a long tradition of forest management that best imitate natural processes in nature. This is a story that we also want to share with our partners in the group.
On Thursday, an official ministerial meeting and work consultation took place, and today the participants will go for a professional excursion, where they will become acquainted with the examples of good practices in Slovenia. Among other things, they will see the management of private forests, the highland farm and become acquainted with the forests of the Pahernik Foundation included in the European Network of Pro Silva. A visit to the Center for the Promotion of Sustainable and Sustainable Forest Management in Radlje ob Dravi and the presentation of the cultural heritage of wood use is also planned.
Minister Mateja Calusic emphasizes that the meeting in Maribor is an important opportunity to consolidate cooperation between the Member States of the Forests Group +, to exchange professional experience and to strengthen a joint approach to the sustainable management of European forests during climate change and new EU legislative requirements.
Partnership is in favor of a holistic approach to sustainable forest management, with all the functions of forests - economic, environmental and social - considered equivalent, in accordance with the principles of the Forest Europe process. The partnership approach is consistent with the manner of management in Slovenia, where we have long been promoting the multifunctional use of forests. In addition, the partnership advocates considering and recognizing existing national management systems, forest censuses, programs and strategies, and cultural and historical management methods.
Slovenia - one of the most forested countries in Europe
More than half of Slovenia (as much as 58 percent) is covered by forests that represent one of the key landscape elements. This makes us one of the most forested countries in Europe. A total of 71 tree species thrive in Slovenian forests: ten species of conifers and 61 deciduous species. The wooden stock of Slovenian forests is 303 million cubic meters, it increases about 7.5 cubic meters per hectare annually, and the cut down is less than it could.
Most of the forests are privately owned (71 percent), but the possessions are very fragmented and small (an average of three hectares), which makes it difficult for the owners to economy with them.
Forests have an important environmental, social and economic function. In addition to ecological benefits, they also represent a source of lasting economic benefits, especially through the timber industry and tourism.
Slovenia follows a resolution on the national forest program, which sets out the goals of sustainable forest management. These are durability, sonschance and multifunction. The Operational Program (2022-2026) includes guidelines for the conservation of biodiversity, ecological balance and social and economic functions of the forest. Legislation sets out the obligations of forest owners, such as sustainable management and providing public access.
The public forestry service is provided by the Slovenian Forest Service and the Forestry Institute. The tasks include monitoring the state of forests, advising owners, taking care of seeds and seedlings, and performing other tasks co -financed by the state budget.
