Large-scale ash (Fraxinus spp.) dieback caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus has been a major concern throughout Europe for more than two decades. Most of the related research has been ...focused on Fraxinus excelsior L., and there is still little information on fungal involvement in the dieback of Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl, especially in roots and stem bases, which play an important role in decline progress and tree stability. The objectives of this study were to identify fungi present in visually healthy and symptomatic wood tissues in basal parts of narrow-leaved ash trees in different decline phases, in order to determine the possible role of these fungi and their importance in the dieback process. The stem bases and roots of 90 trees in three different health categories, determined based on crown defoliation, were sampled in natural stands affected by ash dieback. Isolated fungal cultures were identified based on the rDNA ITS (Internal transcribed spacer) region and their association with tree health status was analyzed. In total, 68 different fungal taxa were confirmed, including Hymenoscyphus fraxineus and Armillaria spp., which were mainly present in roots, although overall in lower frequencies than on common ash in other studies. Most frequently isolated fungal taxa, which encompassed 51% of all obtained isolates, were Trichoderma spp., Ilyonectria robusta, Fusarium solani, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Diaporthe cotoneastri. Their associations with tree health categories and presence in both symptomatic and visually healthy wood indicate that they act as opportunistic pathogens and early colonizers of weakened ash tissues. Research also revealed that, although the extent of crown defoliation and presence of root and stem necroses were associated, basal symptoms occurred on a number of trees with healthy looking crowns, meaning they can develop independently.
Processing of wood and manufacture of wood and cork products, excluding furniture, manufacture of straw and plaiting goods (C16) and manufacture of furniture (C31) were the most competitive ...activities of the Republic of Croatia in the European market in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Those activities began losing their market share at the end of 1994, and no significant positive change in market competitiveness has been recorded since then. The question is how to achieve and maintain competitiveness, which is the condition of survival in an increasingly demanding environment. Preliminary and previous research on investments points to the assumption that the problem of competitiveness in the observed economic branch essentially boils down to a problem in the quality and efficiency of the investments of associated business entities. This paper tries to give answers to the following questions: What is the investment policy, is there an internal factor for lagging behind in competitiveness, what the other reasons are and how competitiveness can be achieved. By analyzing the investment in key factors of competitiveness in the period 2007 to 2010, consistently established by this paper, the existing data on investment of wood processing and furniture manufacturing entities will be identified, and an AHP investment model will be proposed that takes into account the simultaneous influence of all of the key factors of competitiveness and is the best indicator of the direction to be taken, with the final aim of achieving competitiveness.
Wood industry is among the most important industrial sectors in Slovenia and Croatia. In both countries, wood sector is a part of the national strategy plans and one of the industrial branches ...considered national economy boosters. But media coverage of wood industry and furniture manufacturing in Slovenia, as well as in Croatia, is far behind the promotion enjoyed by other industrial branches. This paper will give the current situation in promotional activities of wood sector in Slovenian and Croatian media and demonstrate the existing differences among given countries. Also, it will present some ideas on improving this situation according to media share of other highly profiled industrial branches in some southeastern European countries.
The Mediterranean forest region has been exposed to anthropogenic impacts for centuries, and the constant biotic and abiotic factors, together with increasing climate change, have hindered the proper ...management of forest ecosystems. This study presents the results of multiyear, systematic, specific and practical monitoring of the conversion of holm oak coppices using the principles of the shelterwood system. It also presents the growth and development dynamics of the stand on a permanent experimental plot from 1997 to 2017. The research was performed in the Eumediterranean vegetation zone of coniferous forest (Forest Management, Buzet branch, Pula Forestry Office, Magran Cuf management unit, compartment 83a). The plot has all the properties of a holm oak and manna ash forests (Orno-Quercetum ilicis H-ić/1956/1958). The basic elements of stand structure were monitored: diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, horizontal crown projection, crown ground shading (light) and the appearance and abundance of all woody vegetation, with special emphasis on the growth and development of young generations of holm oak from seed. The paper also describes the threats limiting growth, development and survival of holm oak from seed (strong shooting tendencies of coppiced holm oak and bay laurel trees, excessive presence of shrubs). Forest management requires effective, timely and repeated tending to thin stands (already under the canopy), while also protecting young trees from wild game. The statistical method of interpolation determined the trends of stand development; trend equation with coefficient of determination (R2) is very high. This indicates the growth and development of the stand in the direction of renewal of holm oak stands. Shelterwood cutting, with regular and timely tending of young generations of trees through a seven-year regeneration period, resulted in a high quality young high forest of holm oak, the first of its kind in the broader Mediterranean area. The indigenous stands of holm oak, as the fundamental climatogenic coniferous species of the Mediterranean species, have multiple roles such as protection from erosion, resilience to biotic and abiotic factors and forest fires, tourism and landscape functions, and other general forest functions, and therefore deserve intensive and ongoing research. Holm oak stands also play a part in conserving genetic and biological diversity, the potential and persistence of forest ecosystems, improving stand structure, stability and resilience of forest ecosystems to climate change, and in the long-term increase the commercial value of forest stands in the Croatian Mediterranean.
Wood processing and furniture manufacture in the Republic of Croatia have been developed on high quality forest raw material, and their activities are based on the use of forest raw material, long ...wood-processing tradition and good quality of human resources. Therefore, this is an important economic segment of the country. However, due to global economic trends, and also due to inadequately developed and low production efficiency, insuffi cient use of capacities and underdeveloped production of higher processing stages, the total income of the industrial wood processing is relatively low with respect to the potential of raw materials. It is, therefore, important to determine the position of the sector with the focus on market research. For this reason, the analysis was conducted and comparison made between certain market indicators such as production, exports, imports, consumption, and sales share of Croatian manufacturers, wood processing (DD 20) and furniture manufacture (DN 36), in the domestic market. In the observed period, an increasing trend was recorded of the production of other wood products and furniture manufacture, in favor of production of other wood products. From 2000 to the end of 2008 export values of other wood products were higher in relation to furniture export values, while in the field of import determinant values reversed. In the observed period, product sales of Croatian manufacturers in sectors DD 20 and DN 36 in the domestic market were variable.
Companies that cannot predict business forecasts for their sales always fi nd themselves in ambiguity. In this research we analyzed two quantitative methods that gave the best results for forecasting ...the sales: Holt-Winters method of exponent smoothing of higher orders and linear regression of the 1st order. The data for the implementation of these two methods were obtained in a wood company that deals with parquet sales. The data were gathered for parquet sales by month in the years 2000 to 2009. The calculations of sales forecasts enabled to compare both methods. On the basis of smaller deviations from data obtained, we determined the most appropriate method. We received the best result with the use of Holt-Winters multiplicative model of exponent smoothing of higher orders. Thus, according to this research, this method should be used for further forecasting of parquet sales in the analyzed wood company.
Wood processing and furniture manufacturing is one of the key industrial sectors in South-East European countries. Based on its share in GDP, this industrial sector should be part of the national ...strategy plans. However, media coverage of wood processing and furniture manufacturing in Croatia, as well as in other South-East European countries, is far behind the promotion of other industrial sectors. This paper presents the current situation in promotional activities of wood sector in some South-East European countries media and it shows the differences between individual countries. Also, it presents some ideas on improving this situation according to media share of other highly profi led industrial sectors in some South-East European countries.
In forests of Gorski kotar, Croatia the fat dormouse (Glis glis L.) is the numerous dormouse species. In years with high population densities fat dormice start cause damage on trees. Mainly they ...damage the bark of common spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). This work presents the analysis of morphological parameters of 248 caught individuals (119 males and 129 females) of fat dormouse. Animals were caught on three locations from year 2001 to 2009 in forests managed by »Hrvatske šume« d.o.o. Zagreb, forest administration Delnice. First location represents forest culture of common spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) (location »a«) under management of forest office Delnice. Second and third locations under management of forest office Mrkopalj represent forest culture of common spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) (location »b«) and natural forest of common beech (association Fagetum montanum croaticum Ht.) (location »c«). Animals were caught with snap traps set individually or in pairs in trees around 1 to 5 meters above ground. Ripe pods of the carob tree were used as bait. Traps were set late afternoon and checked next day early in the morning or during the day. Body length as morphological parameter was measured with steel tape and body mass with one gram accuracy scale. In total on all three locations 127 individuals were caught in year 2001, 53 individuals in year 2007 and 68 individuals in year 2009. For the whole time period 102/248 animals were caught on location »a«, 64/248 on location »b« and 82/248 on location »c«. On all 3 locations in year 2001 the highest number of animals was recorded reflecting favorable trophical conditions. Analysis of animals showed for all three locations 1:1 sex ratio with small difference on location »c« with sex ratio of 1:1.16 (m:f). The data shows max body length with 43.0 cm that was recorded on location »b« and min with 23.5 cm on location »a«. Max and min body mass (250g, 55g) were recorded on location »a». The maximal body length with tail and body mass were recorded in years with small population densities, which corresponds to previous findings of increased body mass in years with unfavorable trophic conditions (Bieber 1997). Sheffe’s post hoc test shows significant differences and fluctuations of measured parameters between different locations and years. Result also show on average larger and heavier animals in natural forests of common beech and smaller and lighter animals in forest culture of common spruce. These interesting findings show different body weight and length depending on habitat of dormouse.
The analysis of the existing situation in four companies involved in wood processing has shown that all of these were covered by insurance policies. The study revealed that the observed companies do ...not see the need for high-quality insurance. A trend was noted, albeit too slow, towards a wider and more comprehensive insurance coverage of assets and assets interests. At the same time there is a high and significant risk of a possible major accident that is not covered by insurance policies. The stability of companies is based on operations security, and better quality of assets and assets interest insurance would result in higher security of operations. Assets insurance is a specific issue and a wider perspective is required in order to properly present the need for insurance. The present paper will show that assets insurance is indispensable. The results of the study indicate that in the forthcoming period the insurance of assets and assets interests will become more essential and more significant.
Rad obrađuje dimenzijske značajke utovarnoga prostora forvardera, a koje norma ISO 13860 (2016) određuje trima dimenzijama zasnovanim na neposrednom mjerenju (duljina utovarnoga prostora, širina ...između držača tereta, visina držača tereta) te dvjema posrednim (računske) dimenzijama (površina poprečnoga presjeka utovarnoga prostora forvardera i visina težišta tereta). Iako za te pokazatelje utovarnoga prostora forvardera norma ISO 13860 (2016) daje definicije, za dva računska pokazatelja nije objašnjen način njihova izračuna te na kojim se dimenzijama utovarnoga prostora zasnivaju.Poticaji za pisanje ovoga rada jesu: 1) pojašnjenje važnosti poznavanja dimenzijskih pokazatelja utovarnoga prostora forvardera, 2) izrada prijedloga načina izračuna poprečnoga presjeka utovarnoga prostora forvardera i visine težišta tereta forvardera te 3) određivanje dodatnih potrebnih mjernih dimenzijskih značajki utovarnoga prostora.Na osnovi predloženih mjerenja prikazane su dimenzije, ali i računske značajke utovarnoga prostora osmokotačnoga forvardera Komatsu 875.
The paper deals with the dimensional characteristics of the forwarder loading space, which is determined by ISO 13860 (2016) through three dimensions based on direct measurement (distance of load bunk headboard to rearmost bunk, width across stakes, stake height) and two indirect (calculative) dimensions (cross-sectional area of load space and height of load centre). Although the ISO 13860 (2016) standard provides definitions for the listed indicators of the forwarder loading space, the method of their calculation, as well as the dimensions of the loading space, are not explained for the two calculative indicators. The aim of this paper was to: 1) clarify the importance of knowing the dimensional indicators of forwarder loading space; 2) draft a proposal for calculating the cross-sectional area of forwarder load space and height of load centre; and 3) determine additional (required) dimensional characteristics of loading space. Based on the proposed measurements, the dimensions and computational characteristics of the loading space of the eight-wheeled Komatsu 875 forwarder are presented.
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