world news - 15.11.2002
Croatia certifies all 2 million hectares of state-owned forests
Zaghreb, Croatia — Croatia now has one of the largest Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified forests in Europe. It is the third after the UK and Estonia to certify all its state-owned forests, amounting to 2 million hectares and accounting for 80 per cent of the country’s forested area.
WWF who, with its local partner Green Action, is working with the Croatian government to support the setting of FSC certification standards, applauds Croatia’s initiative towards responsible forest management.
“Croatia is now one of the top five countries with FSC certification, along with the leading countries Sweden, Poland, UK, and the US. The certification is a significant step for forests and people of Croatia. It ensures the forests’ sustainability and provides opportunities for new entrepreneurs in the wood-processing industry,” said Pedro Regato, Head of the Forest Unit at the WWF Mediterranean Programme Office.
With a little more than 40 per cent of Croatia under forest cover, forest wood processing is often the mainstay of local economies. Not only does the FSC certification put Croatia in the forefront of certified hardwood timber production in Europe but is also expected to boost the economy of the local wood processing industry.
Hrvatske Sume, the public company that manages all of Croatia’s state-owned forests, received the certification from the accredited FSC certifying agency Soil Association – Woodmark following three years of assessments.
Forests in Croatia consist of coastal forests which serve as a backdrop for the tourism industry; mountainous forests with mixed deciduous trees, beech, fir, and spruce; and continental lowland forests with mixed broadleaf and mainly oak species. High-quality hardwood and constructional-grade softwood comes from these forests.
Croatia’s annual timber production is 3.5 million m3. The wood processing industry in the country has a limited capacity and local production is limited to furniture and flooring. However, the majority of the country’s wood industry products are exported mainly to Italy, Austria and Germany as sawn wood. In 2001, Croatia received a total of US$325.3 million from wood exports.
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international body with a labelling scheme for forest products. Certification from this organization provides a credible guarantee that the product comes from a well-managed forest. Currently, there are about 30 million hectares of certified forests world-wide.
"The government of Croatia should be applauded for this step in achieving FSC certification for the forests under their management. We encourage other governments in Europe to take similar action with regards to their state forests and help us in the fight against unsustainable forest management and trade. This is also good news for the timber trade in Italy, Austria, and Germany which is seeking FSC-certified material, and we hope that they, and the Croatian industry, will also benefit from this development," said Duncan Pollard, Head of WWF's European Forest Programme.
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