Polisch state forests example - Center for International ...€¦ · • The State Forests NFH is honoured and proud to witness and to participate in the joint efforts to solve the

6th December, 2008, Poznan, Poland

Side event of the State Forests National Forest Holding, Poland and the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE)

Overall context

General Directorate of the State Forests. Dr. Marian Pigan (e-mail: [email protected])

• Global warming ‐ the major threat to the planet

• Prerequisites to combat it successfully‐ political commitment of all states and harmonious cross‐sectoral cooperation

• Potential contribution from the forestry sector

Forests for the climate• Forests of all types of ownership, especially publicly owned, have a mission to fulfil

• Principle of sustainable forest management (e.g. 3rd MCPFE Helsinki, 1993) should serve as the basis for management practices

• Polish State Forests are managed through the implementation of MCPFE declarations and resolutions adopted in Strasburg, Helsinki, Lisbon, Vienna, and Warsaw

• Global conventions on climate and biodiversity play an important role


Forests in Poland• Polish forests cover an area of over 9 million hectares ‐ nearly one third of the country’s landmass (28.9%)

• The State Forests NFH carries out management on 7.2 million hectares of forests, which accounts for about 78%

• Remaining public forests take up 4.0%

• Share of privately owned forests amounts 17.9%

• Coniferous habitats dominate in the habitat structure; coniferous species share amounts over 30% of Poland’s forested area, including the Scots pine, which occupies 69% of forestland under the management of the State Forests NFH


Forests in Poland /2/• Average age of stands is 60 years /state‐owned forests/ and about 40 years /non‐state‐owned/

• Total growing stock is estimated at 1.9 billion m3 of gross merchantable timber, of which 1.6 billion m3 are in the State Forests. Timber resources in private forests amount to about 189 million m3 (1997)

• Average timber volume in the State Forests has reached 236 m3/ha, while in non‐state forests it oscillates around 119 m3/ha. Timber harvest is estimated at around 34 million m3 of merchantable timber, or about 55% of increment

• Sustainable forest utilization is ensured while the basic requirements of the domestic industry are met


Forests in Poland /3/• Forest management is carried out in line with the adopted standards of global certification systems:

– FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)– PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes)

• The certification process also foresees consultations and participation of the whole society in the forest management process


Forests in Poland /4/

• Sustainable forest management in Poland has a long tradition: the State Forests NFH has remained in its current form for eighty‐five years, in spite of wars, system transformations, and related reforms

• The mission of the State Forests NFH is to protect values that are shared by all of us –Poles, Europeans, people all over the world


Up-to-date experience

• Implemented effective network of model forests ‐ so called Promotional Forest Complexes

• Forest management takes into account the Nature Conservation Plans –integral component of forest management plans for forest districts. Biodiversity and water‐related functions of forests constitute the priorities

• Polish foresters preserve nature on vast areas (51% of Natura 2000 sites is designated on forested land, mainly under the State Forests administration)

• Effective implementation of large scale projects, i.e. nature inventory, which proved high biodiversity rate

It was documented:‐16 types of forest sites and 29 types of non‐forest types‐ 8 species of forest and 35 species of non‐forest plants‐ 35 sp. of forest and 16 sp. of non‐forest animals‐ in addition 6 birds species were recognized


Up-to-date experience /2/


Protection Categories:‐ nature reserves (1211)‐ areas of ecological utility (9038)‐documentation sites (197)‐ nature‐and‐landscape complexes (121) ‐ zone protection (2774)‐ Natura 2000 sites ‐OSO (208)‐ landscape parks (120)‐ areas of protected landscape (402)

Up-to-date experience /3/• State Forests NFH is prepared to protect climate by increased carbon sequestration and reduction of emissions

• Forest management in the State Forests is economically efficient, taxpayers do not bear the costs of forest management whilst benefit from non wood forest services

• National Program for the Augmentation of Forest Cover ‐ one of the most important elements of the State Policy on Forests (1997). Forest cover to be increased to 30% by 2020 and 33% by 2050. Restoration of natural plant communities concerns about 10 thousand ha/year)

• Ongoing programme of restoration of natural forest stands (approx. 10 thousand ha/year)


Conclusions

• There is no greater challenge facing our contemporary world than climate protection and stabilization

• The State Forests NFH has currently started the implementation of the commitments of the 5th MCPFE Ministerial Conference (Warsaw 2007) –Warsaw Declaration and two resolutions: “Forest‐Wood‐Energy” and “Forest

‐Water”, it is thus fully supporting the implementation of UNFCCC

• The State Forests NFH is honoured and proud to witness and to participate in the joint efforts to solve the most vital issues of the contemporary world and to demonstrate its significant work done to this end


6th December, 2008, Poznan, Poland

Documents

Polisch state forests example - Center for International ...€¦ · • The State Forests NFH is honoured and proud to witness and to participate in the joint efforts to solve the