DA LI SE I ŠTO SE PROMIJENILO

U više navrata u ovoj rubrici pisali smo o odnosu društva/politike prema šumi i šumarskoj struci, kao i njenom statusu. O percepciji društva glede šuma i šumarske struke možemo raspravljati pa i osjećati se odgovornima za pojedinu krivu percepciju, jer se možda nismo dovoljno trudili da to promijenimo. No, bitne stvari bez volje politike nije moguće mijenjati, a njen odnos prema šumi i šumarskoj struci uvelike utječe i na opću percepciju društva. Željno smo očekivali promjene, no da li su se one unatoč već poodmaklom vremenu i dogodile? Po našem mišljenju one glavne nažalost još ne! Ponajprije, šumarstvo se nazivom u naslov resornog ministarstva nije vratilo, a o tome koliko znamo nije bilo niti riječi. Resorni ministar još nije našao vremena primiti na razgovor predstavnike Hrvatskoga šumarskoga društva, koje, kako je uvijek proklamiralo, objedinjuje šumarsku nastavu, znanost i praksu, a koje se u proteklom razdoblju kritički odnosilo prema nestručnim postupcima u struci. Kako ministar nije šumarski stručnjak, što i ne mora biti, očekivali smo da će se kroz predmetne razgovore informirati o problemima struke i djelovati na način da se isti otklone. Ako se on oslanja samo na savjete zaposlenika resornog ministarstva, onda uzalud čekamo promjene. Čitateljima prepuštamo da ovu primjedbu shvate kako žele, no od istine se ne može pobjeći. Neke izjave drvoprerađivača, pa i nekih ljudi iz Gospodarske komore, o zadovoljstvu daljeg podržavanja „raspodjele trupaca“ upućuju nas na zaključak da u šumarstvu od tržišnog gospodarstava nema ništa i da se i dalje nastavlja s „rasprodajom“ nacionalnog bogatstva i izvozom, ne visoko finaliziranih drvnih proizvoda, nego sirovine i poluproizvoda, a time i radnih mjesta. Fama o tome da će našu preradu drva spasiti jeftina sirovina i da će se tako osigurati veće zapošljavanje i izvoz, nastavlja se. Mi pak postavljamo opetovano ista pitanja: koliko izvozimo sirovine, a koliko finalnih proizvoda, i zašto očekujemo da netko teži visokoj finalizaciji kada dovoljno zarađuje na sirovini i poluproizvodima, bez velikih ulaganja u modernu opremu i visokostručni kadar. Za proizvod što ga izvozi nije niti jedno niti drugo potrebno, dok je za konkurentnost u finalnoj obradi drva upravo to najvažnije. Sukladno tomu slijedi i pitanje, čemu školujemo stručnjake prerade drva i tko će ih zaposliti? Odgovor je vrlo jednostavan – tržišna cijena drvne sirovine odredit će njenu finalizaciju, pa i potaći razvoj njenih pratećih djelatnosti (oprema, ljepila, okovi, lakovi i dr.), što u konačnici znači i veće zapošljavanje.

Nadalje, u najavi potpore gospodarstvu/poduzetništvu ponajprije se spominje smanjenje, pa i ukidanje nekih parafiskalnih nameta. Začudo, među prvima je doprinos za općekorisne funkcije šuma (OKFŠ). Osnovno je pitanje da li je to parafiskalni namet ili općekorisni doprinos društvu u cjelini. Kada nekima, a ponajprije politici, bude jasno o čemu se tu radi, neće biti problema s plaćanjem. Simpatično je slušati TV spot „U šumi se možemo izgubiti, ali ne smijemo izgubiti šume“., a društvo svojim samo aklamativnim ponašanjem upravo ide u tome smjeru. U Zakonu o šumama navedeno je okvirno 15 općekorisnih funkcija šuma. One se mogu i povećavati, ovisno o prostoru kojega pokrivaju te namjeni. Postoji i Strategija EU za šume koja posebno naglašava potrajno gospodarenje šumom, što kod nas nije novo, već dugogodišnje načelo. Strategija izrazito potencira ruralni prostor, a potrajno gospodarenje šumom podrazumijeva ponajprije radove na uzgajanju šuma i zaštiti od štetnih biotskih i abiotskih čimbenika, odnosno aktivnu, a ne pasivnu zaštitu. U brošuri Hrvatske akademije znanosti i umjetnosti Hrvatsko nacionalno blago, koju smo spomenuli u prošlome broju Šumarskoga lista, nalazimo također relevantne podatke o tlu (koje se teško stvara a lako gubi), vodi i klimi, bitnim sastavnicama šume. Ona ima važnu hidrološku ulogu, jer upija i pročišćava vodu u vrijeme kiša i otapanja snijega, kada je djelomično zadržava, a ostalo podzemnim tokovima ispušta u izvorišta i vodotoke, koje i u sušnom razdoblju puni iz svojih rezervi. Njena hidrološka uloga očituje se ponajprije u zašiti tla od bujica, erozija i vjetra. Kada bi se htjeli informirati što šuma glede erozije znači za naše krško područje, za ilustraciju navodimo članak „Protuerozijska, hidrološka i vodozaštitna uloga sredozemnih šuma“ Dr. V. Topić i Dr. L. Butorac u monografiji „Šume hrvatskoga Sredozemlja“, pa ćemo vidjeti stanje tla pod šumom i bez šume. Da bitno utječe na glavne faktore klime i općenito na društveni, pa i duhovni život čovjeka nije potrebno ni spominjati. Naravno, u ovoj rubrici nemamo prostora za detaljne podatke, niti prikazati sve općekorisne funkcije šume, ali čitatelje upućujemo gdje bi to mogli pronaći, ako to žele, jer neznanje kod donošenja pogubnih odluka nikoga ne opravdava.

On several occasions this column has addressed the attitude of the society/politics towards forests, the forestry profession and its status. We may discuss the way the society perceives forestry and the forestry profession and we may even feel responsible for certain inaccurate perceptions because we may not have tried hard enough to change such perceptions. However, crucial things cannot be changed without political will, and the attitude of politics towards the forest and the forestry profession greatly influences the general perception of the society. We have eagerly awaited changes, but have they really taken place regardless of the elapsed time? In our opinion, the main changes have not, regrettably taken place yet! To start with, the term forestry has not been restored to the name of the relevant ministry, and as far as we know, not a word has been said about this. The relevant minister has not even found time to receive the representatives of the Croatian Forestry Association, which, as has always been proclaimed, unifies the forestry education, science and practice and which has in the past period critically responded to some incompetent procedures in the profession. Since the minister is not a forestry expert (and he need not be one), we expected him to learn about the problems of the profession through relevant talks and to endeavour to eliminate them. However, if he relies solely on advice from the Ministry employees, then we will be waiting for changes in vain. We leave it to the readers to understand this sentence in any way they wish, but truth cannot be ignored. Some statements uttered by wood processors and even by some people from the Chamber of Commerce, on their satisfaction in further supporting "log distribution" lead us to the conclusion that market economy in forestry is just a tale. National resources continue to be sold at highly reduced prices and raw material and semi-finished goods rather than highly finalized products continue to be exported, which ends in the loss of working places. The belief that the Croatian wood processing industry will be saved by cheap raw material and that this will ensure higher employment and export is still deeply rooted. We, on the other hand, continue to ask the same questions: how much raw material and how many final products do we export and why do we expect someone to strive towards high finalisation when they can earn sufficiently on raw materials and semi finished goods without large investments in modern equipment and highly specialized personnel? The product they export does not require either of the above; in contrast, to be competitive in the final production, the two above mentioned points are of crucial importance. This leads to another question: why do we educate wood processing specialists and who will employ them? The answer is very simple - the market price of wood raw material will determine its finalisation and stimulate the development of the accompanying industries (equipment, glues, metal eguipment, varnishes and others), which will consequently lead to higher employment.

Next, the declaration on supporting the economy/entrepreneurship mentions the lessening or even the abolishment of some para-fiscal taxes. Surprisingly, the first among these is the tax on non-market forest functions (NMFF). The basic question is whether this is a para-fiscal charge or the generally beneficial contribution to the society as a whole. When some, including primarily the politicians, finally realize what this is all about, there will be no problem in paying this tax. The TV spot "We may get lost in a forest, but we must not lose forests" sounds nice, but the society with its acclamatory behaviour is heading in exactly this direction. The Law on Forests lists about 15 non-market forest functions. These functions can be expanded depending on the space they cover and their purpose. There is also an EU Forest Strategy which specifically emphasises sustainable forest management, a principle that the Croatian forestry has been implementing for a long time. The Strategy focuses especially on rural space. Sustainable management primarily involves silviculture and protection against harmful biotic and abiotic factors, that is, active rather than passive protection. The brochure Croatian National Treasure by the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, which we mentioned in the last issue of the Forestry Journal, also contains relevant data on the soil (which is hard to form and easy to lose), water and climate, the essential constituents of a forest. The forest has an important hydrological role because it absorbs and purifies water during rainy seasons and snow melting. It retains part of it and lets off the rest into water springs and courses, which it refills in the dry season from its reserves. Its hydrological role is reflected primarily in the protection of soil against torrents, erosion and wind. We can illustrate the role of a forest in terms of erosion in the karst area with the article "The Anti- Erosion, Hydrological and Water-Protective Role of Mediterranean Forests" by V. Topić, PhD, and L. Butorac, PhD, in the monograph "Forests of the Croatian Mediterranean", which shows the condition of the soil under the forest and without the forest. Needless to say, the forest has a profound impact on the main climate factors and on the social and spiritual life of men in general. There is not enough space in this column for more detailed data and for all non- market forest functions, but we instruct the readers where to find these data if they really want to get them, because ignorance excuses no man in making detrimental decisions.