Stanislaw Zajac

Forests and Forestry

in Poland

Contact:

Department of Forestry Economics and PolicyForest Research Institute00-973 WarszawaTel.: +(48 22) 822 49 37Fax: +(48 22) 822 49 35E-mail: stan.zajac@ibles.waw.pl

Rogw, March 2003

1. INTRODUCTION2. GENERAL INFORMATION3. FOREST ADMINISTRATION4. FOREST POLICY AND LEGISLATION5. FOREST PROGRAMMES6. FINANCING SYSTEM IN FORESTRY 7. FINAL REMARKS

STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION

POLISH FORESTS & FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE POLISH FORESTS AND FORESTRY FORESTS 8 894 mill. ha 28,4% (21% in 1945)OWNERSHIP STRUCTUREPublic 7 349 thous. ha (82,6%), within: State Forests 6 968 thous. ha (78,3%) national parks 181 thous. ha (2,0%) other 200 thous. ha (2,3%)Private 1 545 thous. ha (17,4%), within: private persons 1 447 thous. ha (16,3%) other 98 thous. ha ( 1,1%)STOCK VOLUME 1 572 mill. m3 (187 m3/ha) State Forests 1 380 mill. m3 private forests 151 mill. m3 other 41 mill. m3INCREMENT 39 mill. m3/year (5,0 m3/ha)HARVESTING: 26,7 mill. m3 (State For. 25,1 mill. m3) 1985 24,1 mill. m3 (21,5 mill. m3 ) 1991 18,1 mill. m3 (15,5 mill. m3)IMPORT 0,732 mill. m3 of round wood (36,2 mll. USD)EXPORT 0,349 mill. m3 (85% pulpwood, 15% saw logs)NET INCOME (USD): + 34,7 mill. (2000), 20,7 mill. (2001)

Structure of land use in Poland

Species compositionin the State Forests in 2001(share in stock volume)

Wykres2

69.3

7

6.5

5.8

4.4

3.9

2.4

0.4

0.3

Arkusz1

Pine, larch69.3

Spruce7.0

Fir, Douglas fir6.5

Oak, ash, maple, elm5.8

Beech4.4

Birch, robinia3.9

Alder2.4

Aspen, lime, willow, poplar0.4

Hornbeam0.3

Arkusz1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Species composition in the State Forests in 2001 (source: Central Statistical Office)

Arkusz2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Arkusz3

Assortments structure of the removalsin State Forests(harvesting volume of 25,1 mill. m3 in 2001) *) above 5cm u.b. at the top **) below 5 cm u.b at the top

Public

Private

Ownership structure of forests

Share of private forest land

in the total forest area (%)

0 - 5

21 - 25

6 - 10

36 - 40

26 - 30

11 - 15

> 40

31 - 35

16 - 20

_1045978415.bin

Average size of private forest holdings

Comparison of some featuresof private and state-owned forests

Economic importance of privateand state-owned forests

State Forests assistance 1) preparing of periodic large-scale inventories, 2) maintenance of a databank concerning forest resources, 3) providing professional opinion on projects of simplified forest management plans, 4) covering costs of forest protection, 5) providing professional advice service on forest economy, 6) providing seedlings for the purpose of forest regeneration, 7) financial assistance to afforestations, from a special forest fund.

Tax system

revenues are not subject to income-tax,forest tax relates only to over 40-years-old stands,the merest 7% VAT tax for raw timber.

State budget subsidies

1) development of simplified forest management plans, 2) afforestation of the poorest agricultural land and waste land, 3) maintenance of supervisory services in non-state-owned forests.

Forms of private forests supervision*)

Forest Gene Bank in Kostrzyca

Transport & Forwarding (7)Storage Complexes (8)Forest Transport (3)

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUREOF THE STATE FORESTS

FOREST POLICY AND LEGISLATION National Policy on Forests (1997) Act on Forests (1991) Act on Protection of Nature (1991) Act on Protection of Environment (2001) Act on Protection of Arable and Forest Land (1995) Land Development Law (1994) Act on retention of the countrys character of the strategic natural resources (2001)

OBJECTIVES OF THE FOREST POLICYIncrease the part of forests in forming natural balance and life conditionsReduction of destructive influence of the industrial civilization on the natural environmentMaintaining the persistence of forest ecosystems and the ecological continuity of forests areas (eco-development)Preservation of genetic resources of plants and animals (bank of genes)Enrichment of species composition and structure of the standing wood resourcesExtension of the multi-sided utility of forests (protective, social, productive)Enlargement the share of the forests and tree planting areas Rationalized utilization of the wood raw material

REALIZATION OF THE FOREST POLICY OBJECTIVES

Approving the conception of eco-development Performing the economical activity without involving damages in forests Forming of multi-functional forest associations rich in the species composition and structure Forming substitute nature communities on degradated areas Afforestation of the grounds useless for agriculture Elastic use of market mechanisms in forming supply and demand for material and non-material services of the forests Exacting fully indemnities for damages caused by known authors Defraying by the state budget the costs for redressing damages caused by unknown authors Ensuring substantial and technical assistance for private forests Forming and ecological consciousness of the society with regard to the part of forests and forestry in the economy and life of the country

Act on Forests sustainable forest management is based on the forest management plan and focused on: 1) maintain forests and their beneficial influence on climate, air, water, soil, environment for peoples life and health and ecosystem /ecological balance/,2) protect forests: variety of nature, preservation of forest genetic resources, landscape quality, scientific needs,3) protection of soil,4) protection of surface waters and underground waters, 5) production of wood, raw materials and non-timber products

FOREST PROGRAMMES Parliament resolutions on sustainable development Ecological Police of the State Complex Forest Protection programme Forest Act and its following amendments Ordinances of Minister of Environment Policy of Balanced Forest Economy Regulations of General Director of State Forest

Promotion Forest Areas National Programme of Forest Cover Increase National Forest Programme

Forest Certification (FSC)

-Regional Directorates of Stae Forests with certificated

forests (5 985 498 ha)

Regional Directorates of Stae Forests applying for certification

Effects of afforestation of marginal agriculture lands

establishing new work places additional income source for agriculture land ownersdecrease of greenhouse effect (carbon sequestration) water balance improv., water protection, counteracting water and wind erosion increasing biological diversity on agriculture areasImproving tourist attractiveness of agriculture areas

DRAFT SCHEME OF THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM OF THE STATE FORESTS or

INCOMESIncomes from admi-nistrative activityIncomes fromadditional activityIncomes from grou-nds and forests saleIncomes frombasic activityIncomes fromside activityEvent. surchargesfrom forest fund

SUBSIDIESPurposeful subsi-dies for: repurcha-se of forests, recul-tivation and affore-station of grounds, cultivation and protection of threa-ted forests, main-taining of nature preserves etc.

EXPENSESRemittance of incomes from grounds and forests saleTaxesDeduction on main-tenance of superior units and forests managementDeduction on fore-sts fund and extra-ordinary reservesCosts of subsidiesed and entrusted worksCosts of administrative and basic activityCosts of side and additional activityDeduction on purposeful fundsSURPLUS /+/ of incomes over expenses, withinfrom side activi-ty, addititional activity, basic and administra-tive activity Purposeful fundsForest district investmentsCompulsory deduc-tion under General Directorate decisionInvestmentsForest fund LOSS /-/St a t e budge t

GD S F