engleski

Afforestation related issues in Mediteranean part of Croatia

Mediterranean part of Croatia is the area, similar to other parts of Mediterranean region, with specific, almost extreme ecological conditions and colourful land use history. In addition, its historical and socio-economic reasons created specific situations which in many ways present addition to growing problems in management of these areas (e.g. overgrazing, unplanned tourism development, land abandonment). Nevertheless, planted forests in this part provide extremely important functions such as protective, social and recreational with significant role in rural development. In addition, in some parts of the area planted forests can become important resource for wood production since it’s possesses at least 400.000 ha of uncovered forest areas which are changing on the year basis due to a forest fires. Therefore, afforestation activities should be enhanced in many ways on these areas in Croatia. Also, change in management options should lead to a better appreciation of numerous functions that those forests provide. Management practices and land use management on this area possesses significant issues from the ecological and social point of view. One of the most pronounced problems still presents frequent occurrences of forest fires which result with significant soil erosion and loss in C pools. Nevertheless, successful afforestation activities in this part of the country present optimistic guidelines for the future sustainable management forest activities (for example „Senjska Draga“, Forest administration Senj). In addition to many specific problems, change in climatic conditions, especially influence of climatic extremes adds to growing afforestation and silvicultural problems related to those forests. The state of Mediterranean planted forests in Croatia will be presented on the basis of field insight and data from Forest management plan together with summary of afforestation activities in the past.

Afforestation techniques; available land; social and ecological influences.

nije evidentirano