Europe is a continent of degraded forests, where 97% of old forests have been lost, mostly to logging. Legislation on forest management at European Union level is therefore both necessary and welcome. It must be binding, as otherwise it will be insufficiently implemented and neither protect Europe’s forests nor limit their degradation.

There are around 170 forest reserves in Slovenia that are “managed” by nature alone, but they account for only 0.8% of the total forest area. They are of great importance for biodiversity conservation and play an important role in mitigating climate change. In fact, data show that 5% of Europe’s above-ground carbon biomass is stored in trees over 50 cm in diameter, which mostly thrive only in old, intact or unmanaged forests.

Forest management by natural means is consequently the preferred way forward in terms of carbon sequestration and biodiversity, as shown by researchers at the University of Ljubljana, who compared projections of different forest management and climate change scenarios. However, due to rising temperatures, carbon accumulation starts to decline after a certain period: this shows that the optimum management model is one that entails adaptation to climate change through the introduction of adapted tree species.

The meeting was part of the ForestNet project, where the sustainability and environmental organizations Focus, DOOPS and CIPRA Slovenia are addressing the loss of biodiversity in Slovenian forests as a result of climate change and the economic exploitation of forests. The project runs until April 2024.

Further information and video recordings of the consultation are available here:

Prihodnost slovenskega gozda - bo gozd zdravnik ali bolnik? - Focus (sl)