journal of forest science

INORMATION
In the Czech Republic (CR), forest ecosystems represent
(1) a substantial national wealth producing environment-friendly
raw materials (particularly wood) as
a renewable natural resource, and (2) an irreplaceable environmental
component determining essential elements
of the cultural landscape. Research into the above-mentioned
sub-module thus proceeded along two interrelated
subject routes toward a holistic assessment of the
sustainable forest management (hereafter the SM).
Like in the neighbouring Central European countries,
many-sided functions of forest ecosystems and the SM
have to be analysed not only with regard to their natural
substance, but also with regard to the legal property of
particular owners, such as natural persons and legal entities,
municipalities and the state. In a democratic system,
the forest cannot be only an object of independent vision
and private wishes, but also a matter of political, economic,
sociological and legal realities.
Analysis of the current status of forest ecosystems, and
identification of principal issues related to their effective
management, was the basic task of the project’s sub-module.
Proposals of some strategic measures and for the
SM intend to summarise essential recommendations for
a sustainable production of forest goods, and for continual
utilisation of human-required services.
OREST ECOSYSTEMS AS A NATIONAL
WEALTH
undamental prerequisite of sustainable
development of forest ecosystems
Reconstruction of one-species coniferous – primarily
Norway spruce and Scots pine – stands is a fundamental
prerequisite of sustainable development of forest ecosystems.
These plantations cover about 67.5% of the CR’s
forest area and play an important role both in the wood
production and environmental functions of public interest.
Implementation of their conversion calls for raising
necessary capital to cover additional costs incurred to
JOURNAL O OREST SCIENCE, 47, 2001 (7): 331–332
Many-sided functions of forests: a strategy for sustainable
development of forest ecosystems
(Sub-module 2A8 of the UNDP project Towards Sustainable Development of the Czech Republic: Building
National Capacities for Sustainable Development)
forest owners. These costs were calculated at around
CZK 0.75 billion a year, to compensate for the increased
costs of artificial regeneration in prevailingly one-species
stands which should be enriched by deciduous tree
species in accordance with the primary forest ecosystem
composition.
Restoration of the prevailingly one-species coniferous
stands into forest ecosystems marked by high ecological
stability and resistance towards stress factors should also
be in accordance with predicted alterations of forest sites,
resulting from the global climate change. The following
measures are proposed in the project’s sub-module to
achieve these goals:
Proposed measures
In the range of forest administration:
– To enhance the activities of national authorities of supervision
operated by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Ministry of Environment of the CR towards the stepping-up
of extension services, educational, advisory
and initiating programmes referring to owners and administrators
of forests.
– To accomplish a system of granting subsidies, additional
cost payments and compensation of prejudices,
jointly with an efficient control of the use of social
overhead capital means, based on unbiased reference
documents and data, and on determined urgency and
needs of public interest. This system should be associated
with the methodology of regional forest development
plants (RDP) and with their links with the
working plans of particular forest owners, i.e. the concrete
making full use of their general recommendations
in forest management plans (MP) and forest
management outlines (MO). Differentiation of the
system according to forest ownership types is also of
importance.
– To ensure disposable items corresponding to the national
economy status, which would be available in
social overhead capital sources, such as the state budget
or relevant funds.
J. FOR. SCI., 47, 2001 (7): 331–332 331