Country report - POLAND

Trends in Forest Use and Conservation- Policy Options for Action

Prepared by Adam Kaliszewski, Forest Research Institute, Warsaw

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

As of December 2002, forests in Poland occupied 8.9 million hectares (or 28.5% of the country area). The greater part (82.5%) of the country's forests is owned by public authorities, mostly managed by the State Forests Holding. Private forests owned by individuals account for 16.3% of the total forest area. They are in general of low level of forest management practises, low growing stock, low average age, very low technological level of timber harvesting technology and forest protective functions fulfilment.

Poland's forests are highly fragmented and isolated spatially. They also are of unfavourable health state. Except being harmfully affected by both abiotic and biotic agents many coniferous monocultures grow on unsuitable, too fertile sites, which should be covered by broadleaved tree species.

Forests are fundamental elements in the national system of protected areas, with forested land accounting for 61% of the area within National Parks, 66% in Nature Reserves, 53% in Landscape Parks and 39% in Areas of Protected Landscape. Apart from that about 40% of Polish forests are classed as protective. These are, inter alia, forests protecting soils from erosion and waters from excessive runoff and pollution, damaged by industry, offering refuges to animals enjoying species protection and ones in the vicinity of large cities.

Despite relative large proportion of forest resources in Poland, the forestry has rather low importance in production terms within the national economy. In 2002, the share of the forestry amounted to 0.3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), and the employment in forestry was as high as 0.4 per cent of the total number of employees within the country.

Enhancement of ecological and social functions of forest ecosystems, resulting simultaneously restricting of productive function of forests, may have a negative impact on declining of the forest sector profitability. Currently incomes from timber sales are almost the only source of financing forestry in Poland. Thus, it seems necessary to prepare and implement long-term systems of supporting forestry from the state budget, as well as to improve the efficiency of current forest management.

The most important acts concerning forests in Poland are Act on Forests (1991) and Act on Protection of Nature (1991). The first one defines the principles of preservation, protection and growth of the forest resources as well as the basic rules of the forest management linked with other environment elements and economy of the country. According to the Act forest management in Poland is based on the rules of common protection of forests, consistent conservation of forests, continuity and balanced use of all functions of the forest and enlargement of forest resources.

Forest management in forests constituting nature reserves or part of national parks is based on regulations of the Act on Protection of Nature. Protection of the nature under the Act, is to be understood as preservation, proper use and renewal of resources and nature elements, in particular wild vegetation and wild animals as well as nature complexes and ecosystems. Managing wildlife and vegetation resources should provide their continuity, their possible abundance and maintain genetic variety.

The overriding objective of National Policy on Forests - the document adopted in 1997 by the Council of Ministers - is to designate the complex of actions shaping relations between society and forests. Among the specific goals listed by the National Policy on Forests there are: safeguarding of the permanent multifunctional character of forests, transformation of forest management and use from the previous dominance of the wood production function into an environmentally and economically balanced model of sustainable and multi-functional forest economy and enhancing ecological, economic and social functions of forests.

Among the current programmes and schemes aimed at putting into practise sustainable forest management are:

• currently being worked out Regional Operational Programs of the National Policy on Forests, serving as a tool for implementation of rules and regulations of the National Policy on Forests into forestry sector activity within individual regions,
• National Forest Program - to be elaborated on the basis of the Regional Operational Programs of the National Policy on Forests,
• Program of Conservation of Forest Gene Resources and Selection Breeding of Forest Trees in Poland in the Years 1991-2010 (1993),
• National Program of Increasing of Country's Forest Cover (1995),
• Program of the Conservation of Nature and Cultural Value in forest Districts (1996),
• creation of Forest Promotional Areas (1994),
• forest certification.

2. CONTRIBUTION OF FORESTS

As of December 2002, forests in Poland occupied 8.9 million hectares (or 28.5% of the country area). Thanks to the afforestation efforts, forest cover has increased steadily in the last 50 years, from about 6.9 million hectares in 1945. There is at present 0.23 ha of forest per inhabitant. Changes in the forest area and the share of forest lands in the country within the period of 1990-2002 are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Forest area and share of forest cover in Poland within the period of 1990-2002.

Source: Central Statistical Office 1991-2003.

The greater part (82.5%) of the country's forests is owned by public authorities. 81.6% constitutes the property of the State Treasury: 78.4% is under the management of the State Forests Holding, 2.0% is within National Parks and 1.2% within other units. 0.9% of the forested area is owned by communities (units of local government administration). Private forests account for 17.5% (16.3% owned by individuals) of the total, though their participation in central and eastern parts of the country is much higher (30-60%). The total number of private forest holdings (owned by individuals) amounts to 900,000.

As a result of extensive deforestation in past centuries and very widespread post-War afforestation and reforestation, Poland's forests are highly fragmented and isolated spatially. The holding of the State Forests comprises 28,000 complexes, of which more than 6000 cover no more than 5 hectares. The average size of a private holding does not even exceed 1 ha, and a holding of this size may often be made up of several separate plots.

A decided majority (59%) of the country's forests are in coniferous forest (particularly pine forest) habitat. The moderately humid pine forest habitat typical for Polish conditions accounts for 27.8%, mixed-coniferous forest for 22.9% and mixed forest for 17.8%. Stands are dominated to the extent of 77.0% by coniferous species, among which Scots pine is dominant, at 67.7%. The share of broadleaved species in the composition of stands has risen in the recent decades from 13 to 23%. Nevertheless, the situation remains problematical in relation to excessively simplified biological structure and the large proportion of stands whose species composition does not accord with the habitat. These problems result from a past preference for monocultural cultivation as stands were renewed. The mean age of stands is 58 years in the State Forests and 40 years in those of private property.

The overall state of health of forests gives cause for concern in spite of some recent improvement. Forests are threatened by diseases and pests, unfavourable climatic phenomena, fires and the contamination of the air. Locally, these threats have led to the death of forests and an ecological disaster situation (in the Sudety Mountains). The share of damaged trees, both broadleaved and coniferous, has exceeded 50%.

The total growing stock in forests amounts to about 1,761 million cubic metres in forests of all forms of ownership. This converts to a mean of 215 m3/ha in the State Forests and 119 m3/ha in the private and communities forests. The total over-bark volume increment amounts 6.5 m3/ha on the average. Present (2002) level of annual timber felling expresses very well the performance of forests' sustainability idea. It is recently harvested only about 30.0 million cubic metres under-bark on the average, that gives an index of about 3.4 m3/ha. The ratio of harvest size to increment size is about 0.6, and it assures a continual and stable growth of forest resources in Poland.

With a share of 94% in volume of total wood harvested, the State Forest Holding is the main supplier of wood in Poland. The impact of private forest owners is mainly local in character. Table 2 presents the level of timber felling within the period of 1990-2002, as well as the average volume of timber harvested per 100 ha of forest land and per one inhabitant.

Table 2. The total timber felling, the average volume of timber harvested per 100 ha of forest land and per one inhabitant in Poland within the period of 1990-2002.

Source: Central Statistical Office 1991-2003.

As one can see from Table 2 the total timber felling, the average timber felling per unit area of forest land and the average timber harvesting per one inhabitant have increased significantly during the described period. In the coming years further increase of timber felling can be however expected.

Apart from harvesting of wood, also utilization of some non-wood forest products is of significant importance in Poland. Nowadays the main non-wood forest products are berries: bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idea L.), raspberry (Rubus ideaus L.); mushrooms: chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius Fr.), edible boletus (Boletus edulis Bull: Fr.), and medicinal and ornamental plants. All citizens have open access to the public forests for picking fruits of the undergrowth for their own use. The quantity of non-wood forest products utilized by the Polish society is not however recognized, but in some regions of the country (e.g. Eastern Poland) they are of significant value for many households in rural areas.

Forest are fundamental elements in the national system of protected areas, with forested land accounting for 61% of the area within National Parks, 66% in Nature Reserves, 53% in Landscape Parks and 39% in Areas of Protected Landscape. The area of forests included into protected areas has been increasing in the period of 1992-2002, what is shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Forest area in protected areas in Poland within the period of 1990-2002.

Source: Central Statistical Office 1991-2003.

^a the State Forests Holding only; n.a. - no data available

Apart from the protective areas mentioned above and as a consequence of forests function other than commercial, about 40% of all forests in Poland (nearly half of state-owned forests) are classed as protective. These are forests protecting soil from erosion, and waters from excessive runoff and pollution, forests damaged by industry, forests offering refuges to animals under special protection, and those of great significance to national security, forests in the vicinity of large agglomerations and subject to scientific research or mass tourism. The area of protective forests was increasing in the period from 1990 to 2001, but in 2002 it has slightly decreased (Table 4).

Table 4. Area of protective forests in Poland within the period of 1990-2002.

Source: Central Statistical Office 1991-2003.

Despite relative large proportion of forest resources in Poland, the forestry has rather low importance in production terms within the national economy. In 2002, the share of the forestry amounted to 0.3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), and the total share of agriculture, hunting and forestry to 2.7 per cent. In the first half of the 90-ies, after falling down in 1991, the share of forestry in GDP was increasing up to 0,55% in 1995, and since that time it is generally decreasing within the described period, as it is presented in Table 5.

Table 5. Share of forestry in GDP in Poland within the period of 1990-2002.

Source: Central Statistical Office 1991-2003.

In foreign trade, forestry products also play a minor role in the balance of trade, accounting for 0.19% of the nations total exports and 0.10% of its imports. The wood and wood products import amounts to 0.89% and export amounts to 3.21% of total import and export (Table 6).

Table 6. Share of forestry products and forest industry products in exports and imports in Poland within the period of 1990-2002.

	1990	1993	1996	1999	2000	2001	2002
Forestry - export (%)	0.39	0.44	0.22	0.23	0.19	0.15	0.19
Forestry - import (%)	0.03	0.04	0.08	0.10	0.11	0.11	0.10
Wood industry - export (%)	n.a.	n.a.	3.69	4.10	3.61	3.15	3.21
Wood industry - import (%)	n.a.	n.a.	0.73	0.82	0.83	0.88	0.89

Source: Central Statistical Office 1991-2003.

n.a. - no data available

In 2002, about 55,400 persons were employed in the forestry (0.4 per cent of the total employment), with the greater part (about 30,000 persons) working in the State Forests Holding. During the last years the number of employee in forestry was continuously reduced, mainly due to the transformation of national economy, from the level of employment, amounted in 1988 to 155,000 persons (125,000 in the State Forests). The corresponding figures for the period of 1990-2002 are presented in Table 7.

Table 7. Employment in forestry in Poland within the period of 1990-2002

Source: Central Statistical Office 1991-2003.

Within the described period the average prices of wood were changing significantly. In the first half of the 90-ies the average price of wood was increasing rapidly, with the maximal value of 187 PLN per cubic meter (ca 47 euro, 2002-prices). Since that time the prices were gradually declining, up to 111 PLN per cubic meter (28 euro) in 2002. The corresponding figures has been presented in Table 8 below.

Table 8. The average prices of wood in the period of 1992-2002, expressed in current values as well as constant 2002-values.

Source: Central Statistical Office 1991-2003.

PLN - Polish zloty; exchange rate: 1 € = 4.0 PLN (Dec. 2002)

3. MAIN ISSUES AFFECTING SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

Among the main current and emerging issues affecting sustainable forest management in Poland are:

a) Low share of forest lands in the country,

b) Bad forest health conditions,

c) Unsuitable species composition of forest ecosystems,

d) Urgent need of improvement forest management in private forests,

e) Increasing demand for environmental and social services of forests,

f) Declining economic condition of forestry.

a. Low share of forest lands in the country

Low and regionally diversified forest cover with thousands of highly fragmented and spatially isolated forests has on one hand quite good influence landscape diversity, but on the other hand it makes efficient and effective forest management more difficult and inconvenient. That situation also facilitates to exert significant pressure on the small forest areas. It is necessary to continue taking steps towards increasing the share of forest cover and create links between fragmented forest ecosystems. The afforestation of agricultural lands unsuitable for agricultural production, as well as attainment of spatially-optimal structure of forests in the landscape is one of the main issues of Polish forest policy and carried out activities.

b. Bad forest health conditions

Polish forests are of unfavourable health state. They are harmfully affected by both abiotic (air pollution, droughts, strong winds, heats, fires), and biotic agents (insects, fungi). Although the defoliation rate is lately decreasing - especially due to air pollution declining - its unfavourable impact will probably be observed still for many years. There can also be observed an increase in number of harmful organisms making damage in forest ecosystems, as well as more often occurrence of harmful insects on a mass scale, spread out of trees diseases and increase of forest fire hazard. All these threats keep within limits the possibilities of the efficient, prompt and complete realization of all functions performed by forest ecosystems.

c. Unsuitable tree stands composition

The share of one-species, coniferous forest stands (monocultures) is too high, taking into consideration share of rich, fertile forest sites within the country. The main coniferous species in Poland are Scots pine (Pinus sylverstris) in the lowland and Norway spruce (Picea abies) in the mountain regions. They result from former decades forest management, aimed at productive functions of forest ecosystems only. Rich, high productive sites have been damaged by harmful influence of the mentioned coniferous species. In order to restore the damaged sites, conversion of coniferous tree stands into multi-species, broadleaved or mixed tree stands, according to local site conditions, in needed.

d. Urgent need of improvement forest management in private forests

The great majority of private forests in Poland are those of low level of forest management practises, low growing stock (55% of the mean growing stock per hectare in the State Forests on the average), low average age (40 years old), very low technological level of timber harvesting technology and forest protective functions fulfilment. There is a need to work out policy tools, aiming at improvement of forest management in forests of private property. Among possible solutions there are: improvement of private forests supervision provided by the public Forest Service, shaping the professional skills and abilities among the forest owners and forest managers, spreading out the professional technical advice for the owners and development of forestry education system, aimed at effective forest management, as well as supporting forest owners grouping and establishment of their associations.

e. Increasing demand for environmental and social services of forests

Social demand for environmental and social services provided by forests is to be growing up in the coming years. It will involve the increase exerting a pressure for forest ecosystems and will also result in increase of its harmful influence, including forest areas littering and other detriments. Meeting the needs and expectations of the society will require to look for new, modified methods and ways of forest management, especially in environs of big cities and agglomerations. The new ways should aimed at satisfying needs of the local communities concerning environmental and social functions of forests.

Among the possible threats, especially of the local significance, there might be in the future a tendency of assigning of forest lands to other purposes, like road infrastructure, land development and housing, recreational development, industry etc.

f. Declining economic condition of forestry

Restricting productive function of forest management and simultaneous enhancement ecological and social functions of forest ecosystems will have a negative impact on further declining of the forest sector profitability. Currently incomes from timber sales are almost the only source of financing forestry in Poland. The prices for timber in Poland have already reached an average European level. Moreover, the European timber market is characterised by over-supply and stagnation of prices, so the sale of timber may be even harder in the coming years.

The gradual increase in timber harvesting volume in Poland, observed since the beginning of the 90's, met the demand barrier in 2001. In that year the State Forest Holding, acting as a self-financing organizational unit, for the first time within the post-War period got deficiency. Although within the last two years the situation improved, in the future such unfavourable financial condition of forestry may be expected to emerge much more often. Simultaneously, the support of forestry from the state budget is insufficient, although it is obligatory in accordance with the Act on Forests. Financial support from other sources (for instance environmental funds) is not complex and regular in character. It seems necessary to prepare and implement long-term systems of supporting forestry from the state budget, as well as to improve the efficiency of current forest management, in particular by searching for new sources of incomes, promoting of wood and wood products and more effective timber sale.

4. POLICY OPTIONS AIMED AT ENHANCING THE CONTRIBUTION OF FORESTRY TO THE COUNTRY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Among the legal acts referring to forests two of them are of the greatest importance for sustainable forest management. These are:

a. The Act on Forests - of the day 28 September 1991 (with the latest update in 2003);

b. The Act on Protection of Nature - of the day 16 October 1991 (with the latest update in 2003);

The Act on Forests defines the principles of preservation, protection and growth of the forest resources as well as the basic rules of the forest management linked with other environment elements and economy of the country. This regulations apply to forests in general, regardless of the form of their ownership. Under the Forest Law, the public forests are supervised by the Minister of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry and private forests are supervised by a voivode or local government administration's unit. Forests owned by the State Treasury (public forests), except for forests which:

• are managed by national parks,
• constitute part of The State Treasury Agricultural Agency,
• are perpetually leased in accordance with separate regulations,

are managed by State Forest Enterprise "The State Forests". As part of the administrative activity that they carry out, the State Forests run the forest economy, manage the land and other real estate as well as movables connected with the forest economy, and they also draw up a register of the property of the State Treasury and determine its value. As a state organisation unit, the State Forests do not posses a legal status and represents the State Treasury with respect to the administered property.

Sustainable forest management, under the Act on Forests, is an activity aiming at development of the forest structure and use them in such a way and rate that ensures the lasting preservation of the forest biological variety and abundance, high productivity and regeneration potential, vitality and ability to perform both at present and in the future, all important functions: protective, economic and social, on the local, national and global level, without harmful impact on other ecosystems. There is also, in the Act on Forests, the statement that the sustainable forest management is based on the forest management plan or the simplified forest management plan and focused on the following purposes:

a. to maintain forests and their beneficial influence on the climate, air, water, soil, environment, for people's life and health and ecosystem /ecological balance/,

b. to protect forests, in particular such forests and forest ecosystems that constitute natural fragments of the local nature or forests of particular significance due to their:

• variety of nature,
• preservation of forest genetic resources,
• landscape quality,
• scientific needs,

c. protection of soil and areas that are in particular danger of pollution or damage and areas of considerable social significance,

d. protection of surface waters and underground waters, retention of river basin, in particular on watershed areas and on areas supplying water to underground lakes,

e. production of wood, raw materials and non-timber products - based on principles of rational forest management.

According to the Act on Forests forest management in Poland is based on the following rules:

a. common protection of forests,

b. consistent conservation of forests,

c. continuity and balanced use of all functions of the forest,

d. enlargement of forest resources.

Forest management in forests constituting nature reserves or part of national parks is based on regulations of the Act on Protection of Nature. Protection of the nature under the Act, is to be understood as preservation, proper use and renewal of resources and nature elements, in particular wild vegetation and wild animals as well as nature complexes and ecosystems. Managing wildlife and vegetation resources should provide their continuity, their possible abundance and maintain genetic variety. The above tasks are to be implemented in particular through:

a. protection, preservation and rational management of natural vegetation complexes, in particular forests, peat-bogs, swamps, grass, dunes, salt pans and water shores as well as natural habitats for plants and animals,

b. reproduction and expansion of endangered species of flora and fauna, protection and reproduction of habitats of unique animals as well as protecting migratory routes of animals.

In 1997, the Council of Ministers adopted the document on National Policy on Forests, prepared under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry. This new policy for forests creates comprehensive framework for forest activities and pays particular heed to:

• the provisions of the State Environmental Policy enacted by parliament in 1991, which are being developed in relation to forests under all forms of ownership,
• the Forestry Principles and Agenda 21 approved by the UNCED held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992,
• the European Declarations of Forestry Ministers on the Protection of Forests (Strasbourg 1990 and the Helsinki 1993), which set out guidelines for sustainable forest management and ushered in the process of establishing criteria and indicator

As it is stated in the National Policy on Forests, the overriding objective of forest policy is to designate the complex of actions shaping relations between society and forests. This shall be done with the aim of preserving the conditions for the permanent maintenance of the multifunctional forests, their multi-faceted utility and protection, and their role in the shaping of natural environment, in line with the present and future expectations of society.

Among the specific goals listed by the National Policy on Forests there are the following ones:

- safeguarding of the permanent multifunctional character of forests, inter alia by increasing the country's forest resources as well as by improving their condition and ensuring their protection,

- transformation of forest management and use from the previous dominance of the wood production function into an environmentally and economically balanced model of sustainable and multi-functional forest economy, that corresponds with criteria formulated for Europe by the Helsinki Process and takes into account the specific features of Polish forestry,

- enhancing ecological, economic and social functions of forests.

A manifestation of these trends has been the interdepartmental document from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Protection and Forestry entitled "Polish Policy for the Comprehensive Protection of Forest Resources" (1994), as well as ministerial Decisions and Orders of the Director-General of the State Forests resulting from it (General Director's of State Forests act on establishment of Forest Promotional Areas (1994) and General Director's of State Forests directive on grounding the forest management on ecological foundations (1995).

Currently there are also elaborated Regional Operational Programs of the National Policy on Forests (ROP), serving as a tool for implementation of rules and regulations of the National Policy on Forests into forestry sector activity within individual regions (17 regional directorates of the State Forests Holding). They are drawn up in a short-term- (up to 2012), medium-term- (2013-2025) and long-term time frames (2026-2050). The major problems and issues contained in ROPs are:

- afforestation of marginal agricultural lands, unsuitable for effective agricultural production,

- improvement of species- and functional structure of forests,

- enhancement of biodiversity protection in forests,

- enhancement of atmospheric carbon sequestration and storage in forest ecosystems,

- improvement of forest management in private forests,

- promotion and marketing of wood,

- definition and development of linkages between forestry and other sectors of the economy within the range of regional development,

- co-operation between the forestry sector and the society,

- recreational forest management and utilization,

- co-operation between local authorities and the regional governmental administration.

Regional Operational Programs will also include other important issues of regional forest policy. After elaboration, the Programs will be a subject for consultations with forestry professionals, representatives of all forestry-related administrative and management structures as well as social-, professional- and branch groups interested in the topic. After their improvement and approval the ROPs will serve as a basis for developing the National Forest Program, which will be supplemented with the issues concerning sustainable forest management and development of the national level.

Realisation of sustainable forest management is being achieved through several programmes and schemes, among which are:

- Program of Conservation of Forest Gene Resources and Selection Breeding of Forest Trees in Poland in the Years 1991-2010 (1993),

- National Program of Increasing of Country's Forest Cover (1995),

- Program of the Conservation of Nature and Cultural Value in forest Districts (1996),

- Creation of Forest Promotional Areas (1994),

- forest certification.

The Program of Conservation of Forest Gene Resources and Selection Breeding of Forest Trees in Poland in the Years 1991-2010 defines foundation for forest gene resources, improvement of seed base, and selection of forest trees, and also defines conditions for an efficient performance of established goals. The main objectives of the program are:

- maintenance of forest gene resources in order to maintain continuity of ecological processes in forest ecosystems, particularly forest stability and to facilitate forest restitution on degraded and devastated sites,

- improvement of seed base, ensuring to permanent supply of regeneration material of sufficient quality and quantity,

- selection of forest trees in order to ensure intensification of forest productivity as well as better quality and ability to adopt to changing environmental conditions of forest trees,

- observing forest seeds and seedling transfer between regions of the country in accordance with adopted rules and regulations.

The National Program of Increasing of Country's Forest Cover has been adopted by the government in 1995. It is targeted at afforestation of 700,000 hectares of marginal agricultural lands, both private and state, till the year 2020. If the Program was successfully implemented the country's forest cover should expand by 2 per cent, to reach in 2020 some 30 per cent of total country's area. Afforestation of the further 800,000 hectares is foreseen in the period of 2020-2050. Among the main objectives of the program are:

- building and improvement of the country's ecological structure, including the establishment of ecological corridors linking large forest complexes,

- increase of hydrological role of forests, improvement of the country's water balance, making use of small-size water storage through the supply of springs and watersheds (retention of rainfall waters in forest litter and soil, reduction of surface runoff, regulation of water state in watercourses and taking measures against bogginess of lands),

- purification of air, soils, ground and surface waters through elimination of noxious chemical substances and microorganisms harmful to man,

- utilisation of the role that forests play in soil formation and soil protection against water and wind erosion,

- utilisation of forests as an agent that takes part in modification of microclimate, regulation of carbon dioxide and oxygen cycle in the atmosphere, mitigation of the greenhouse effect,

- satisfying needs of the society for recreation and tourism and improvement of living conditions in regions under the impact of industrial pollution and landscape aesthetic values,

- nature protection and conservation of natural resources, as well as enhancement of biological diversity,

- rational utilisation of lands unsuitable for agriculture, including enhancement of tourist attractiveness of post agricultural lands,

- creation of new jobs and increase of incomes of landowners.

Within the first stage of the program realisation (1995-2000) there were 111 thousands ha of agricultural lands afforested. This means, the program's objectives for that period (96 thou. ha) were in general exceeded by some 16%.

The Program of the Conservation of Nature and Cultural Value in forest Districts, being since 1997 an integral part of the forest management plan (prepared for each forest district), has been constructed with a conviction that the preservation of biological diversity is a vital task for managed forests. The main aims of the program are:

- improvement of conditions for nature conservation, particularly though conservation of biological diversity at gene-, species-, population- and landscape level,

- inventory and presentation of natural values and nature threats of a forest district against a background of a region and the country,

- indication of objects to be covered by particular forms of nature conservation and defining aims and methods of their conservation.

- improvement of sustainable forest management, taking into consideration nature conservation in forest ecosystems,

- shaping ecological consciousness of the society in relation to current and future forests and nature threats,

- protection of monuments in forest areas.

Forest Promotional Areas (Lesne Kompleksy Promocyjne, LKP) are the functional areas of ecological, educational and social importance, their functioning to be determined by a consistent economic and protective programme, prepared by the respective director of Regional Directorate of the State Forests. The LKPs are composed of forests under supervision of the State Forests. Forests that belong to other owners can be included in Forest Promotional Areas provided the owners have applied for such an inclusion. The main objectives of establishment of LKPs are:

- shaping and promotion of pro-ecological, multifunctional and sustainable forestry,

- shaping of ecological conscience and appropriate relations to forests and to forestry in the society,

- multi-interactions and rational cooperation with nature conservation organisations and environmental NGOs.

- The main tasks of the Promotional Forest Areas are:

- a multifaceted recognition of the state of forest biocenoses and of their biotopic conditions, as well as of the trends to the ongoing changes in them,

- the permanent retention or re-establishment of the valuable natural features of forests by way of rational forestry management pursued on ecological bases,

- integration of the objectives of sustainable forestry and active (as opposed to conservational) nature conservation,

- popularisation of multifunctional and sustainable forestry,

- carrying-out research works and experimentation to determine the opportunities and conditions for the principle of sustainable development, to be disseminated throughout the State Forests forest districts,

- the provision of training to the Forest Service and ecological education to society as a whole.

In order to carry out forest education, there are educational ecological trails, paths, centres and chambers prepared in each LKP.

At present there are 13 Forest Promotional Complexes in Poland. Their total area is 627 443 hectares (9,0% of the area managed by the State Forests Holding).

At present the great majority of forests managed by the State Forests Holding are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. As of June 2003, 16 of 17 Regional Directorates of the State Forests, as well as Experimental Forests in Rogow, has been awarded the certificate. The last Regional Directorate of Krosno in south-eastern Poland, as well as Experimental Forests in Siemianice are now applying for granting a certificate under the FSC.

REFERENCES:

1. Act on Forests of the day 28 September 1991, Dz.U. 1991.101.444, latest update in 2003. (in Polish)

2. Act on Protection of Nature of the day 16 October 1991 (latest update 2003), Dz.U. 1991.114.492. (in Polish)

3. Anonymous, 1994. Polish Policy for the Comprehensive Protection of Forest Resources, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry. Warszawa. (in Polish)

4. Anonymous, 1997. National Policy on Forests. Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry. Document adopted by the Council of Ministers on 22 April 1997. Warszawa.

5. Anonymous, 2003. Report on the state of forests - 2002. State Forest Holding "The State Forests", Warszawa. (in Polish)

6. Central Statistical Office, 1991-2003. Statistical Yearbook of Forestry 1991-2003. Warszawa. (in Polish)

7. Central Statistical Office, 1991-2003. Statistical Yearbook of Poland 1991-2003. Warszawa. (in Polish)

8. Chrempinska Z., 2003. Afforestations - the scale and importance of the issue, current state, realization, in: Zajac, S., Gil, W. (eds.), Afforestations in Europe - experiences and prospects, Forest Research Institute, Warszawa. (in Polish)

9. Dawidziuk J., 2002. Current and future problems of the State Forests Holding - strategic direction for development, in: Grzywacz A. (ed.), The role of forestry in regional sustainable development. Scientific session, The Polish Forest Society, Orzechowo k. Ustki. (in Polish)

10. Kaczmarek K., Dudek A., 1999. Country report - Poland, in: Pelkonen P., Pitkänen A., Schmidt P., Oesten G., Piussi P., Rojas E. (eds.), Forestry in Changing Societes in Europe. Information for Teaching module. Part II - Country reports. SILVA Network.

11. Radziejowski J., 1997. Tourism and recreation in forests, in: The Polish Foresters' Congress ,,Forest-Man-Future". Materials and documents. Vol. II, part 2. Agencja Wydawniczo-Reklamowa A. Grzegorczyk, Warszawa. (in Polish)

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13. Szujecki A., 1997. Forestry and civilizing challenges of the 21st century, in: The Polish Foresters' Congress ,,Forest-Man-Future". Materials and documents. vol. II, part. 1, Agencja Wydawniczo-Reklamowa A. Grzegorczyk, Warszawa. (in Polish)

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