Editorial
At the end of 2024
Uredništvo HŠD
; Hrvatsko šumarsko društvo
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
During 2024, we covered a variety of topics in the Editorial. At the beginning of the year, in issue 1-2/2024, we looked back at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) held at the end of 2023 in the United Arab Emirates. Despite the ambitious goals set, from reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening climate change resilience to providing financial and technological support to vulnerable nations, and with the main goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C, at this year 29th conference in Azerbaijan it has already become clear that this goal will not be met because the limit has been breached in 2024.
Prompted by the Croatian parliamentary election held this year in April, in issue 3-4/2024 we listed what the Croatian Forestry Society expected from the future government. We expressed our expectations in the following five points: 1) putting back the term “forestry” in the name of the relevant ministry; 2) establishment of a market system for selling timber products from state forests and the improvement of the status of forestry professionals; 3) strategic and legislative strengthening of the forestry, hunting, and wood industry sectors; 4) restoring tax for non-market forest functions (NMFF) to the former value and equal distribution of NMFF funds for all purposes; and 5) suspension of leasing of forest land and control of the existing situation. When the new government of the Republic of Croatia was constituted on 16 May 2024, the former Ministry of Agriculture changed its name to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. After 12 years of repeatedly requesting to put back the term “forestry” in the name of the relevant ministry, forestry profession has at least received satisfaction for visibility in the name of the ministry. The real visibility and importance of the profession, as well as the other listed demands, will still have to be achieved.
Issue 5-6/2024 was dedicated to the scientific and professional character of Forestry Journal. Based on a review of papers from 1940 to 2015, it was concluded that there had been a constant lack of the critical attitude towards the content and professional articles by authors from forestry practice in Forestry Journal. Both Croatian forestry science and profession must make changes for improvements in the future.
In issue 7-8/2024, we marked the anniversary of the unprecedented storm in the Republic of Croatia which occurred on 19 July 2023. The first estimates of forest damage at that time were about 1.5 million m3 of wood volume. A year later, damage to state forests was estimated at as much as 4 million m3. Forests, which are expected to help reduce the impact of climate change, have become victims of climate change themselves.
A forestry review of this year's fire season was presented in issue 9-10/2024. The current year was marked by numerous fires and a large burnt area. In 2,420 open space fires, a total of 14,689 ha were burnt, which is an increase of as much as 534% compared to 2023. According to the data, more than 90% of the fires occur in the neglected areas of unresolved ownership and in privately owned land. This is why, from a professional point of view, in most cases fires should not be called forest fires but rather by their true name – fires of neglected private areas. The most effective fire prevention measure would be to resolve the problem of ownership and maintenance of private areas.
We send our best wishes to the forestry profession in the upcoming year 2025, in which we will mark the respectable 260 years of Croatian forestry. We wish our readers and members of the Croatian Forestry Society a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2025.
Editorial Board
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
323084
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2024.
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