Original scientific paper

Private Forest Owner Expectations of Interest Associations: ComparativeAnalysis between Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina

Špela Pezdevšek Malovrh ; Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Forestry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Donald G. Hodges ; University of Tennessee, 274 Ellington Plant Sciences Bldg, USA
Bruno Marić ; Faculty of Forestry, Sarajevo, BIH
Mersudin Avdibegović ; Faculty of Forestry, Sarajevo, BIH

Abstract

Private forests in Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are important resources for national economic development. Based on differences in the proportion of private forests, the countries differ substantially with regard to the role of private forest owners, as well as the conditions of owner interest associations in the forest policy processes. Since private forest owners are so diverse, there is a need to better understand their expectation for interest associations. Surveys were conducted in 2008 on random samples of private forest owners in Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina to examine the factors affecting their expectations. The study examined seven categories of expectations: silvicultural advice, harvesting advice, information about timber markets, information about legal regulations, information about strengthening entrepreneurship, support of forest road construction/maintenance and forest management training. Seven models were developed to examine the factors affecting each category of expectations. The results reveal that socio-demographic characteristics of private forest owners, ownership structure, and property conditions were associated with expectations. Three models (silvicultural advice, strengthening entrepreneurship and support of forest road construction/maintenance) were statistically significant in both countries. The strongest factor that influences the expectations for Slovenian private forest owners was education while in Bosnia-Herzegovina it was property size. Gender did not influence expectations of private forest owners in either country. Understanding the underlying factors influencing private forest owner expectations could aid in developing appropriate forest policy instruments to support owner cooperation within interest associations and improve private forest management.

Keywords

Bosnia-Herzegovina; interest associations; private forest owner expectations; private forests; Slovenia

Hrčak ID:

75466

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/75466

Publication date:

31.12.2011.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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