scholarly journals The Effects of Natural and Economic Factors on the Financial Performance of Forest Management Units: The Example of Forest Districts of the State Forests National Forest Holding from Eastern Poland

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1559
Author(s):  
Anna Kożuch ◽  
Andrzej Marzęda

Given the changing market conditions and uncertainty arising from climate change, forest management tends to focus on the financial functioning of forest holdings. The objective of this work is to study the financial performance of forest districts using ratio analysis, synthetic financial indicators, as well as the relationship between synthetic indicators and forest district categories defined in terms of forest site type, site fertility, compatibility stand species composition, species composition, harvesting system, harvesting intensity, fragmentation of forest complexes and management difficulty level. The study material consists of financial documentation from 82 forest districts of the State Forests National Forest Holding (SFNFH) in eastern Poland from the years 2015–2019 and 2005–2009 (for comparison purposes). Synthetic indicators were calculated using two sets of financial ratios as well as two variants of accounting data. In the study period, forest districts were found to differ in terms of their financial performance, which was affected by the natural and economic factors. The synthetic indicators were significantly higher (p > 0.05) for forest districts operating on low-fertility lowland sites, those managing stands with dominant pine, and those implementing a clearcutting regeneration system. The findings concerning the effects of selected natural and economic factors on the financial condition of forest districts may be used for financial planning and management by SFNFH, in particular in decision-making processes to optimize forest management. The applied methods may stand as a basis for the construction of a sectoral evaluation tool.

Author(s):  
Grzegorz Trzciński ◽  
Piotr Leciejewski

In the following paper the authors provide an analysis of the possibility of implementing by the State Forests National Forest Holding (PGL LP) a multifunctional, sustainable forest management based on the principles of environmental protection, co-financed from EU funds and national programs in the 2007–2013 funding perspective. The following national programs were taken into account: Regional Operational Programmes, Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme, Rural Development Programme, European Territorial Cooperation Programme. The programmes were analysed to the extent where the State Forests units (Forest Districts, Regional Directorates of National Forest, State Forests of National Forest) were beneficiaries of financial funds. The analysis of the use of funds by the State Forests units, accompanied by a general statement and selected projects was performed. The issues related to direct payments in the study were not taken into account.


2020 ◽  
pp. 73-81
Author(s):  
Sławomir J. Snarski

W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań mających na celu sprawdzenie, czy wydatkowanie środków będących w dyspozycji Państwowego Gospodarstwa Leśnego Lasy Państwowe (dalej: Lasy Państwowe) odpowiadało zadaniom w zakresie gospodarki leśnej nałożonym na tę instytucję na podstawie przepisów obowiązującego prawa i czy było ono uzasadnione w kontekście zasady racjonalnego gospodarowania środkami publicznymi. Badania oparto na analizie danych wtórnych zebranych przez Dyrekcję Generalną Lasów Państwowych, oficjalnych danych statystycznych, informacji pokontrolnej Najwyższej Izby Kontroli oraz literaturze obejmującej obszar badań. Wyniki badań przeprowadzonych na podstawie danych z lat 2011–2016 wykazały, że ogólna sytuacja majątkowa i finansowa Lasów Państwowych w analizowanym okresie była korzystna ze względu na fakt, że co roku wspomniana instytucja odnotowywała znaczący zysk netto. Działania realizowane przez Lasy Państwowe były zasadniczo zgodne z modelem zrównoważonej gospodarki leśnej określonym w ustawie o lasach, jednak w przypadku ponoszenia nakładów inwestycyjnych na środki trwałe niezwiązane bezpośrednio z gospodarką leśną, zasada racjonalnego zarządzania środkami publicznymi nie zawsze miała pełne zastosowanie. Stąd też rachunek ekonomiczny powinien stanowić podstawę do prowadzenia działalności inwestycyjnej przez Lasy Państwowe. Analysis of selected organizational and economic conditions in State Forests National Forest Holding This paper presents the findings of a research study targeted at verification whether the disbursement of funds at the disposal of the State Forests National Forest Holding (hereinafter: the State Forests) corresponded to the tasks in the field of forest management imposed on the institution in question under the provisions of applicable law and whether it was justifiable in the context of the principle of rational management of public funds. The research was based on the analysis of the secondary data collected by the Directorate General of the State Forests, official statistical data, post-audit information of the Supreme Audit Office and literature covering the research area. The results of research carried out on the basis of data from 2011–2016 showed that the general property and financial situation of the State Forests in the analysed period was favourable due to the fact that each year the aforementioned institution recorded a significant net profit. The activities implemented by the State Forests were in principle compatible with a model of sustainable forest management specified in the Forest Act, however in case of incurring investment outlays of fixed assets not directly related to forest management, the principle of rational management of public funds was not always fully applied. Therefore, the conscious economic calculation should constitute the basis for conducting investment activities by the State Forests.


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 160-170
Author(s):  
Adam Kaliszewski ◽  
Wojciech Młynarski

AbstractEconomic viability of forestry is one of the key pillars of sustainable forest management and a basis for maintaining forests and their multiple benefits for the society. It may be achieved by, inter alia, diversification of sources of income in forest management. The aim of the article is to analyse sources of revenues of state-owned forest enterprises (holdings) in selected European countries and ongoing changes in this respect in recent years. In the paper, we analyse the structure of revenues of state forest enterprises in Poland, Germany (with the examples of Bavaria and Lower Saxony) and Austria; however, particular attention is paid to the State Forests National Forest Holding in Poland, which is the largest state-owned forest holding in the European Union (EU) in terms of area of forests. The study is based on document content analysis methodology (desk research), including annual reports published by forest enterprises, statistical data and also legal regulations.The analysis shows that while revenues from the sale of wood are the main source of income of forest enterprises, some of them are seeking to diversify their sources of revenues. The Austrian Federal Forests can serve as an example of a good development strategy based on diversified sources of income. Also, the Lower Saxony State Forest company, which is approximately 60% dependent on the sale of wood, undertakes other activities, including real estate management, hunting and recreational services. Our study shows that both the State Forests National Forest Holding and the Bavarian State Forests Enterprise are based on timber harvest and sale to a large extent. We conclude that as regards the State Forests Holding in Poland, the possibility of expanding and diversifying commercial activities should become a subject of discussion among foresters, decision makers and politicians.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. I. Lakyda ◽  
S. A. Sytnyk ◽  
O. O. Kravchenko

The formation of a comprehensive forest management strategy in Ukraine should in accordance with the criteria that create the preconditions for achieving parity of environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainable development. In the country, the establishment of compliance of the forest management system with certain international requirements should be realized through the implementation of the Helsinki Criteria for Sustainable Forest Development. The purpose of the work was analyzed the state of forests and the actual indicators of economic activity of forestry enterprises operating in the Steppe Zone of Ukraine according to of the Helsinki Criteria. The source data were the materials of sectoral reporting and state statistical information.The article shows the distribution of the forest area within administrative Dnipropetrovsk region by forest users. The distribution of the area of forest subordinated to the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine by functional categories is analyzed. The structure of nature reserve fund of objects and territories of the forest fund was estimated. The provision of forestry with labor resources is indicated.The areas covered with forest vegetation by dominant forest-forming species with distribution by age group was given.The total forest phytomass and its trend for forestry enterprise which subordinated to the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk region was calculated. The distribution of the total phytomass by structural components of plantations – wood and bark of trunks, wood and bark of branches, leaves, roots and subtent are given. The dynamics of the average values of the total stock of trunk wood for stand forest, the density of phytomass and the deposited carbon in the forest phytomass are described. The effect of biotic factors on forest plantations had been assessed – the species composition of pests and phytopathogenes and the area of their foci had been established. The list of the main forestry measures connected with timber harvesting was given.The species composition and distribution of area covered vegetation by forest-forming species and age groups in forests of the protective functional categories which prevent soil erosion was characterized.


Author(s):  
А. Kh. Chochaev

The article analyzes problems of the Russia forest complex development related to social, environmental and infrastructure issues, the solution of which is impossible without state participation. The reasons of the poor adaptation of the forest complex market economy to long development periods, as well as the environmental consequences of economic activity, including environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity and damage to public health, are considered. The analysis of the forest complex market economy features is made on domestic and foreign examples, a serious shortcoming of which is the isolation of the investment payback process from the chosen economic development direction. Forest rejuvenation in this way leads to a decrease or even loss of the forests biospheric properties to regulate the surface runoff of atmospheric precipitation and the formation of groundwater reserves. It is known, that in the forests of the European part of Russia have been accumulated large reserves of semi-subsistence conifer and hard wood. It is shown that to involve it in use it is necessary to change the principles of annual use calculations and to actually re-develop the regulatory framework for the intermediate use of forest wood resources. Four forest management units in the forest economy of the forest complex were identified: state forest management and implementation of medium-term and long-term planning of all types of work in forests, taking into account materials of the state forest inventory and assessing the state and trends in the development of domestic and foreign timber markets; protection and protection of forests from fires and other adverse natural factors (insects, fungi, pollution); carrying out planned logging with the differentiated use of all types of wood and the organization of reforestation taking into account the diversity of growing conditions and the possibilities of using the lands of the state forest fund of Russia. It is advisable to create economic mechanisms to stimulate the activities of all enterprises and institutions of the Russia forest complex for the transition to new environmentally sound technologies in the forest. A flexible economic mechanism is needed to include forest management costs in the cost of harvested wood in order to restore the ecological, economic, social and cultural properties of forests.


2007 ◽  
Vol 158 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 14-21
Author(s):  
Vasyl Sabadosh ◽  
Oleg Suprunenko

The upper Theresian Valley lies along the southwest-facing ridge of the Ukrainian Carpathians. Despite expansive forestation high water levels are frequent. The forest belongs to the state and is centrally administrated. Felling is sometimes outsourced to private companies and private companies have also been founded to process the timber. Job opportunities have become fewer and illegal work is increasing. A new democratic awareness has emerged since the «Orange Revolution» in 2004. With foreign investors, however, new risks emerge. The authors recommend giving monies from forest management to the communities, the founding of new wood processing enterprises and more transparent information.


2006 ◽  
Vol 157 (7) ◽  
pp. 283-286
Author(s):  
Guido Bernasconi

The silvicultural principles of a forest management plan for Canton Neuchâtel reveals itself as steeped in a systemic approach that allows us to consider the forest as a truly living system. In this context, it seems judicious to the author to conceive of the body forest personnel as a group of responsible people who share certain common ethics and who, in their work, promote the emergence of collective services recognised as beneficial to the state and which would be supported by public funding for the good of the entire community.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matieu Henry ◽  
Zaheer Iqbal ◽  
Kristofer Johnson ◽  
Mariam Akhter ◽  
Liam Costello ◽  
...  

Abstract Background National forest inventory and forest monitoring systems are more important than ever considering continued global degradation of trees and forests. These systems are especially important in a country like Bangladesh, which is characterised by a large population density, climate change vulnerability and dependence on natural resources. With the aim of supporting the Government’s actions towards sustainable forest management through reliable information, the Bangladesh Forest Inventory (BFI) was designed and implemented through three components: biophysical inventory, socio-economic survey and remote sensing-based land cover mapping. This article documents the approach undertaken by the Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to establish the BFI as a multipurpose, efficient, accurate and replicable national forest assessment. The design, operationalization and some key results of the process are presented. Methods The BFI takes advantage of the latest and most well-accepted technological and methodological approaches. Importantly, it was designed through a collaborative process which drew from the experience and knowledge of multiple national and international entities. Overall, 1781 field plots were visited, 6400 households were surveyed, and a national land cover map for the year 2015 was produced. Innovative technological enhancements include a semi-automated segmentation approach for developing the wall-to-wall land cover map, an object-based national land characterisation system, consistent estimates between sample-based and mapped land cover areas, use of mobile apps for tree species identification and data collection, and use of differential global positioning system for referencing plot centres. Results Seven criteria, and multiple associated indicators, were developed for monitoring progress towards sustainable forest management goals, informing management decisions, and national and international reporting needs. A wide range of biophysical and socioeconomic data were collected, and in some cases integrated, for estimating the indicators. Conclusions The BFI is a new information source tool for helping guide Bangladesh towards a sustainable future. Reliable information on the status of tree and forest resources, as well as land use, empowers evidence-based decision making across multiple stakeholders and at different levels for protecting natural resources. The integrated socio-economic data collected provides information about the interactions between people and their tree and forest resources, and the valuation of ecosystem services. The BFI is designed to be a permanent assessment of these resources, and future data collection will enable monitoring of trends against the current baseline. However, additional institutional support as well as continuation of collaboration among national partners is crucial for sustaining the BFI process in future.


Britain possesses a forest area which is one of the smallest in Europe in relation to its population and land area. In the past, forests have been felled to make way for farming and to supply timber for ships, houses, fuel and metal smelting. Timber was a key to sea power, and repeatedly the availability of home timber supplies has proved crucial in time of war. The nation’s dwindling reserves of timber have been a source of anxiety since Tudor times and periodic surges of planting for timber production by private landowners took place until about 1850. Thereafter, interest faded with the advent of the iron ship, the Industrial Revolution and the availability of cheap timber imports. Govern­ ment activity was minimal until a national forest authority was formed in 1919 to create a strategic timber reserve. Since 1958 there have been frequent policy reviews to assess the changing needs of the nation for timber and the new values associated with the social and environmental benefits of forests.


1945 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward C. Kirkland

By the 1820's, New England was in ferment. Unitarianism had shattered the old religious orthodoxy and, while the Dedham case provided a material dowry for the new religion, the sermons of William Ellery Channing furnished a theology and creed. In politics the dogmas of regional Federalism were weakened and soon Daniel Webster was to celebrate the virtues of an embracing nationalism which Pickering and his fellow conspirators of an earlier period would have found incomprehensible. Along the Merrimack were arising the cotton-mill towns, symbols of a new industrialism. An old order was giving way to a new. Once begun, change accelerated and touched one by one the institutions and ideas of the region. Of the economic factors that gave momentum to this transformation, the railroad was the most important. For it was the railroad that after 1830 tied New England into the nation. No longer was it to be a fringe of Hanseatic ports communicating with the rest of the world and with America by sea; it was to become a section in a developing nation. When Emerson wrote of Massachusetts, “From 1790 to 1820, there was not a book, a speech, a conversation, or a thought in the State,” he should have added that there was not a railroad. For the railroad, even though it may not have opened wider prospects, at least revealed different ones.


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