Forest management planning (formerly forest regulation) implies directing and managing forest use in a way that aligns the overall production of forest goods with the needs and demands of society. Put simply, to “regulate a forest” means to organize it in accordance with our needs, that is, the needs of society.
Forest management planning encompasses a whole set of procedures and activities that must be carried out in order to prepare a forest management plan (forest area development plan, forest management plan, forest management program) for a specific forest area (forest region, management unit) over a clearly defined time period.
In the course of its development as a discipline, forest management planning, i.e. forest regulation, has been defined by various authors either in a broader or in a narrower sense.
Some of the more significant definitions are as follows:
- Forest management planning is the determination of present and future allowable cuts in the forest (Hartig, 1795);
- Forest management planning is a set of activities that organize forest management in time and space in such a way as to achieve the purpose of management (Judeich, 1871);
- Forest regulation is the science that teaches how forests can best be utilized on a permanent basis (Nenadić, 1929);
- Forest management planning is the continuous direction of management and planning in forestry (Baader, 1942);
- Forest regulation is the science whose task is to harmonize production with consumption and, according to the natural and economic conditions of forest growth, to ensure the highest possible production which, in terms of quantity and assortment, best meets the needs of the national economy (Jovanović, 1952).
- Forest management planning is an instrument for understanding the development of the forest in order to achieve the most favorable effects in forest management (Knuchel, 1953);
- Forest regulation regards the forest as an association of forest trees which, under the given environmental conditions, is maintained, utilized according to plan, professionally regenerated, and cultivated for the purpose of meeting social needs (Miletić, 1954).
Modern forest management planning includes the principle of sustainable forest management. The principle of sustainable forest management, under different names, has been known and applied in forestry since ancient times, but it was only defined at the global level at the conventions in Rio de Janeiro (1992) and Helsinki (1993). In accordance with these conventions, sustainable forest management can be observed through the following basic principles:
- Principle of Permanence – implies striving for the permanent (continuous) provision of benefits from forests;
- Principle of Multifunctionality – implies striving for the optimization of overall benefits from forests;
- Principle of Cost-effectiveness – implies striving to achieve the most favorable ratio between the total benefits from forests and the expenditure of labor and resources, i.e., striving for the highest possible level of realization of overall benefits from forests with minimal means.
Forests, as communities of plants and animals, represent the most complex and diverse ecosystem on the terrestrial part of the Earth, but also the most vulnerable, since they are home to over 80% of terrestrial animal species. Sustainable forest management and careful use of this natural resource in PE “Vojvodinašume” is based on the principles of maintaining forest biodiversity and structure, the permanence of forest management, and the preservation of the general-benefit functions of forests, which contribute to mitigating climate change, meeting the needs of the local population, and ensuring the sustainable development of the area. In PE “Vojvodinašume”, forest management is carried out in a sustainable manner, which implies that the harvested wood volume is smaller than the increment of the forests, which ultimately contributes to the increase of both wood volume and forest area over time. Along with the above challenges, it should be noted that in forestry the important fact is that today the results of the work of previous generations of foresters are being enjoyed, as their professional knowledge maintained the quality of forests so that they could reach maturity for felling in the present time, while today’s generations, through their work, ensure for future generations the security and sustainability of forest management. This is also one of the fundamental principles of FSC certification of sustainable forest management, held by PE “Vojvodinašume”, which means that forest management is based on strict ecological, social, and economic standards. One of the definitions of sustainable forest management is that it is the management of forests and forest land and their use in a way and to an extent that maintains their biological diversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality, as well as the capacity to fulfill, now and in the future, relevant ecological, productive, and social functions at the local, national, and global level, without causing damage to other ecosystems.
Forest Management Plans
In accordance with the provisions of the Law on Forests (Official Gazette of the RS, Nos. 30/2010, 93/2012, 89/2015 and 95/2018 – other law), forest management plans include the Forest Area Development Plan, the Forest Management Basis, and the Forest Management Program.
The Forest Area Development Plan is a planning document which defines the directions of forest and forestry development, together with the plan for their implementation, for a specific forest area. All forests managed by PE “Vojvodinašume” belong to the Northern Forest Area. The Northern Forest Area encompasses forests and forest land of the Srem, Banat, North Bačka and South Bačka Forest Regions, as well as the “Fruška Gora” National Park. The Development Plan is adopted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia for a ten-year period, while the competent ministry initiates and organizes its preparation. At present, there is no development plan prepared for any forest area in the Republic of Serbia. For three forest regions (Srem, North Bačka, and South Bačka) development plans of forest regions exist, which were prepared on the basis of the provisions of the Law on Forests that were valid prior to the amendments to the Law on Forests in 2015. These development plans (for forest regions) differ both conceptually and substantially from the idea of defining strategic directions of development for a wider area, as they contain a considerable number of operational elements, and given that they were adopted in 2016, they are to a certain extent outdated. The absence of a forest area development plan represents a significant shortcoming in terms of defining and implementing strategic objectives of forestry in the territory of AP Vojvodina.
The Forest Management Bases are forest management planning documents adopted for management units, in which the condition of forests, the scope of silvicultural, protection and utilization activities in terms of time and space, as well as the value of forests are determined. As such, they largely represent operational planning documents. The Bases are adopted for a medium-term period of ten years, and should be harmonized with the Forest Area Development Plans (strategic planning documents). They serve as the basis for the preparation of annual forest management plans and operational projects. In PE “Vojvodinašume”, the tasks of preparing Forest Management Bases are carried out by graduate forestry engineers, licensed to perform professional tasks in forestry, who work in the forest planning and management departments. PE “Vojvodinašume” manages 60 management units, which implies the preparation of 60 Forest Management Bases.
The Forest Estate “Novi Sad” is responsible for the management of forests and forest land within the South Bačka Forest Area, managing a total of 10 management units, namely:
- Bagremara (2014-2023);
- Bođanska Forest (2018-2027);
- Cerik (2018-2027);
- Danube Islands (2020-2029);
- Kamenjar (2016-2025);
- Palanačke Islands-Čipski poloj (2014-2023);
- Plavanj Forests (2014-2023);
- Ristovača (2018-2027);
- Šajkaška (2013-2022);
- Topolik (2022-2031).
The Forest Estate “Sombor” is responsible for the management of forests and forest land within the North Bačka Forest Area, managing likewise a total of 10 management units, namely:
- Kolut-Kozara (2013–2022);
- Branjevina (2018–2027);
- Kamarište (2017–2026);
- Apatin Marsh (2022–2031);
- Doroslova Forest (2014–2023);
- Karapandža (2015–2024);
- Monoštor Forests (2016–2025);
- Tisa River Forests (2019–2028);
- Subotica Forests (2020–2029);
- Protected Forests (2021–2030).
The Forest Estate “Sremska Mitrovica” is responsible for the management of forests and forest land within the Srem Forest Area, managing a total of 25 management units, namely:
- Blata–Malovanci (2016–2025);
- Draganovci–Lopadin–Dubrave–Kablarovac–Đepuš (2016–2025);
- Neprečava–Varoš–Lazarica (2016–2025);
- Raškovica–Smogvica (2017–2026);
- Rađenovci–Novi (2017–2026);
- Vinična–Žeravinac–Puk (2017–2026);
- Kućine–Naklo–Klještevica (2019–2028);
- Radinska–Vranjak (2019–2028);
- Banov Brod–Martinački Poloj–Zasavica–Stara Rača (2019–2028);
- Smogva–Grabova Greda (2018–2027);
- Varadin–Županja (2018–2027);
- Vratična–Cret–Carevina (2018–2027);
- Senajske Bare I–Krstac (2020–2029);
- Grabovačko–Vitojevačko Ostrvo–Vitojevački Atar (2020–2029);
- Baradinci–Pavlaka–Vučkovac (2021–2029);
- Dobreč–Vukoder–Debeljak–Galovača (2021–2030);
- Jalija–Leget–Turjan (2021–2030);
- Senajske Bare II–Karakuša (2021–2030);
- Jasenska–Belilo (2022–2031);
- Kupinske Grede (2022–2031);
- Matijevica–Kadionica (2022–2031);
- Bališa (2016–2025);
- Čenjin–Obreške Širine (2013–2022);
- Kupinski Kut (2013–2022);
- Visoka Šuma–Lošinci (2013–2022).
The Forest Estate “Banat” Pančevo is responsible for the management of forests and forest land within the Banat Forest Area, managing a total of 15 management units, as follows:
- Vršački Breg (2016–2025);
- Donje Podunavlje (2017–2026);
- Deliblatski Pesak–Stojkan (2018–2027);
- Deliblatski Pesak–Karlovačke Šume (2018–2027);
- Deliblatski Pesak–Dragićev Hat (2018–2027);
- Deliblatski Pesak–Đurin Bor (2018–2027);
- Deliblatski Pesak–Vrela (2018–2027);
- Deliblatski Pesak–Korn (2018–2027);
- Donje Potamišje (2018–2027);
- Donje Potisje (2022–2031);
- Dumača (2015–2024);
- Gornje Potamišje (2014–2023);
- Gornje Potisje (2023–2032);
- Mali Rit (2021–2030);
- Mužljanski Rit (2020–2029).
Compared to the previous period, in 2018 the number of management units increased as a result of the division of the Deliblato Sands area, which until then had constituted a single management unit, into six new management units. This division was carried out due to a legal provision according to which a management unit encompasses forests and forest land under the same ownership form, with a forest area of up to 5,000 ha. In order for the size of the management units in terms of area to be harmonized with the legal provision, the competent authority was requested and granted approval for the establishment of new management units, for which forest management plans were prepared with validity beginning on January 1, 2018.
The implementation of forest management plans in the operational sense is ensured through the annual forest management plan and the forest management operational project. The annual plans define the scope, location, and dynamics of works related to forest protection, silviculture, utilization, and improvement, the production of forest reproductive material, as well as the construction of technical infrastructure. The operational project is prepared for a compartment or sub-compartment, and exceptionally for several compartments or sub-compartments, and contains a detailed elaboration of silvicultural, protection, utilization, and improvement measures provided in the management bases, as well as the technological procedure, conditions, method, and deadlines for the execution of all works.
