This was enabled through 22 local forest management associations’ joint efforts and the support of many stakeholder organisations of the Croatian forestry sector, such as e.g. the Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management, the State Advisory Service for Private Forests of Croatia, the Association of Foresters in Croatia, the Chamber of Engineers of Forest and Wood Technology and the City of Zagreb. Guests from the Slovenian Forest Owner Association and the Confederation of European Forest Owners (CEPF) also addressed the meeting and assured their specific support to the new organisation.
In fact, stakeholders in Croatia have been working hard since 2005 to achieve this event. This meeting was the third national level event of private forest owners in Croatia.
In Croatia 22% of the forests belong to private owners totalling approximately 600.000 hectares in some 600.000 forest estates. Correspondingly, the average estate size is 1,0 hectare of forest. However, with the establishing of the Advisory Service for Private Forests and the opening of the Green Tax Fund for private forestry activities since 2006, the development of private forest management was accelerated in Croatia. It is also envisaged that in 10 years time all private forests will have a forest management plan. In addition, a Forest Guard Service will also be established. Both initiatives provide useful tools for activating private forest management in the country.
Mr. Mario Pecnik (on picture), the elected president said in his addressing speech that the Union’s work program aims among others at:
- Promotion of the local and regional cooperation of forest owners
- Assistance in forest management to private forest owners through advisory services
- Assistance of private forest owners in capacity building
- Participation at national forest policy setting as national level representative of private forest owners
- Facilitating the links between the forestry administration and forest owners
.
The Assembly elected also the Board of the Union and its other bodies, such as the Supervisory Committee. Mr. Miljenko Županić was appointed Secretary General of the Union.
It was commonly expressed by different union members that the union (national association) intents to act as partner for national forestry bodies and other stakeholder groups, in particular the State Advisory Service for Private Forest Owners and internationally to CEPF and that these will contribute to Croatia’s successful EU membership.
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Miljenko Županić. , Secretary General
Tel.: ++385 1 6273 000 ; E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Atilla Lengyel, Policy Adviser CEEC, Confederation of European Forest Owners,
Contact Office Budapest, H-1068 Budapest, Benczúr utca 34.
Tel:+36 27769045 , Fax:+36 13517029, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;