Editorial
FROM THE HISTORY OF FORESTRY
Abstract
The 250th anniversary of Croatian forestry and the 169th year of the foundation of the Croatian Forestry Association and the publication of the 139th issue of the scientific-professional and specialist magazine Forestry Journal offer an ideal opportunity to look back at the texts published in the first issues and draw a parallel with present times.
The very first volume from the year 1877 contains an interesting article by Adolf Danhelovski "Recommendations on saving wood in the production of French staves", which states that the production process has improved slightly "although this type of goods requires maximal saving in its production, since they are produced of the most beautiful oak trees". Work should be performed by a "skilful labourer", otherwise much of the wood "might go to waste".... Narrower staves should be made of thinner trees or logs". Furthermore, logs should be classified according to the length and width of stave dimensions required. Other recommendations for saving follow. Let us draw a parallel with the present manner and recommendations related to saving and present squandering of national resources by using "the most beautiful oak forests", so that the non-market prices of the assortments allows the production of semi-finished goods and not high-quality products with a high added value and maximal employment. What is detrimental is the fact that veneer assortments are camouflaged into sawmill products intended for export; this also means "export" of working places which we sorely need. We discussed this in more detail in the Editorial of the Forestry Journal No. 5-6/2012, "The relationship between forestry and wood processing". This is why we do not agree with the words of the competent minister said after a Press conference, which we discuss in the column Current Affairs. The minister claimed that non-market contracts with wood processors had saved home wood processing from foreign competition. We continue to perceive this as a way of squandering national wealth for momentary gain of an individual and not for the benefit of the society as a whole.
The article published in the third year of publication in 1879, written by Alex. Ni. Sshulz and entitled "Seven main points of forest management and their theoretical-practical use" starts with a motto: "Production of he highest quantitative and qualitative amount of wood in the smallest area: and the best management". According to the article, forest management activities are divided into basic and auxiliary. The basic activities are mathematics and natural sciences and the auxiliary ones are technology, law-making, political sciences, book keeping, history and geography. Practical parts of forest management are divided into "a) silviculture, b) forest protection together with forest surveillance, c) use of forests together with forest technology, d) forest inventory with rotation and calculation of value and e) forest administration and forest directorate". From the present standpoint, the motto of the article suggests maximum possible use of the productivity of a particular forest site, whose degradation would mean catastrophe. In his comment of the seven points that follow, the author stresses that the first and the main point of management and work lies in "highly educated management personnel who posses theoretical and practical knowledge for useful and sustainable management of forests". He asks himself: "How can a person who has absolutely no knowledge of the basic sciences manage such a highly complex system as a forest?" The second point is independent management devoid of "greed for profit". The third point is primarily concerned with stand regeneration methods - artificial or natural regeneration. The fourth point contains a conclusion: "An honest forester who knows how to calculate will never allow his master, who, if faced with financial problems and forced to exploit his forest, to become a victim of swindlers and forest exploiters, and will use all his spiritual strength to at least limit what is unavoidable to the smallest space with regard to the future". The fifth point refers to "use of forests together with forest technology, which is more important that might seem at first glance". In his detailed explanation, the author concludes that the development and application of new technologies should be given due importance. The sixth point comprises "forest taxation together with rotations and value calculation". All the above points are mutually intertwined and cannot be separated from one another, "since without knowing one it is impossible to perform another". In the author´s words, the seventh point concerning "forest administration and forest directorate" requires no comments because everything is contained in the previous points, but he concludes that, as the old proverb says, "the fish rots from the head down", or translated into forest industry: if the directorate is no good, then the entire subordinate personnel will be no good. This refers to all branches of economy, and has been proven myriad of times in the human society and in all the professions". We conclude this text with the message – compare!
Editorial Board
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
141812
URI
Publication date:
30.4.2015.
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