•Psychological landownership (PL) has been neglected in landscape research.•Forest owners’ motives for PL are having a place to dwell and building self-identity.•Management duration and work with ...young forest stands strengthen PL.•Regional variations and concentrations of PL indicate hotspots/coldspots.•PL is a strong barrier to land degradation but it also hinders timely inheritance.
Legal ownership of land defines the formal relationship between a landowner and land. Besides legal ownership, there is also psychological ownership which landowners can develop toward land. Despite the abundant literature on the relationships between landowners and land, it remains unclear under which circumstances a sense of ownership over land occurs and what impacts individual feelings may have on landscape dynamics if aggregated or scaled up. Building upon the psychological ownership theory, we interviewed 442 private forest owners in Croatia about the benefits of landownership. By using a Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) structural equation model and local spatial autocorrelation statistics, we 1) analyzed whether landownership benefits correlate to three motives for psychological ownership, i.e. having a place, efficacy and effectance, and self-identity; 2) analyzed the factors stimulating the motives; and 3) located the areas of spatial concentration of psychological landownership (i.e. hotspots/coldspots). Landownership benefits showed a strong association with the corresponding motives indicating that private forest owners experience landownership as a connection between the self and forest. Physical work in the forest and tending young forests increase psychological landownership. The land tenure system and duration of ownership plays no role. The biggest hotspot appeared in the most developed area, possibly preventing land transfer. Coldspots, in contrast, emerged across the country, pointing to land which could potentially change ownership after the land market regulation expires in 2023. The findings expand the understanding of land possession beyond the dis(investment) paradigm and help predict hotspots of land transfers at local to regional scales.
Raznodobne jelovo-bukove šume u Republici Hrvatskoj zauzimaju oko 157 000 ha. Tijekom povijesti njima se upravljalo različitim načinima gospodarenja, od jednodobnog do prebornog gospodarenja. Kao ...rezultat povijesne integracije hrvatskog šumarstva u njemačku šumarsku školu i uz jedinstvene ekološke značajke dinarskog područja, primarno se primjenjuje preborni način gospodarenja. U današnje vrijeme zbog različitih biotskih i abiotskih utjecaja, većina bukovo-jelovih šuma u Hrvatskoj ima prijelaznu strukturu između jednodobne i one preborne. Strukturu karakterizira velika drvna zaliha, mali prirast, loša vitalnost, slaba obnova jele i sve veći udio obične bukve. Takav ogledni primjer je i stalna pokusna ploha koja se nalazi u sjevernom dinarskom području Hrvatske i kojom gospodare “Hrvatske šume” d.o.o. Zagreb, a ujedno je i predmet ovog istraživanja. Cilj članka jest istražiti različite modele određivanja sječa koji će usmjeriti šumu u stabilniju prebornu strukturu s optimalanim prirastom i s odgovarajućim volumnim udjelom jele. Ulazni podaci dobiveni su sukcesivnim mjerenjima na stalnoj pokusnoj plohi u bukovo-jelovoj sastojini. Simulator šumskih stabala i sastojina, MOSES version 3.0, testiran je na primjenjivost u lokalnim uvjetima i korišten je za projekciju budućeg gospodarenja. Četiri scenarija temeljena na različitim modelima izračuna sječe korištena su za simulaciju mogućih smjerova budućeg gospodarenja s naglaskom na ciljani volumni udio jele, prirodnu obnovu jele, uspostavu i održavanje preborne strukture. Svi scenariji predviđaju smanjenje volumena jele praćeno agresivnom regeneracijom obične bukve te djelomično postizanje preborne strukture. Krajnje strukture šumskih sastojina (nakon 110 godina) uspoređene su i rangirane na temelju sastojinskih i ekonomskih pokazatelja. S gledišta ekološke, šumsko-gospodarske i ekonomske održivosti, model izračuna sječe koji je temeljen na trenutnoj drvnoj zalihi i desetogodišnjem prirastu pokazao se kao najbolji među istraženim scenarijima.
Uneven-aged beech-fir forests cover approximately 157 000 hectares in Republic of Croatia. During the history they have been managed according to different management systems, varying from even-aged to selection management. As a result of historical integration of Croatian forestry into the German forestry school, alongside with unique ecological characteristics of Dinaric area, selection management system has been practiced in Croatia’s forestry ever since. Today, due to various reasons majority of beech-fir forests in Croatia have transitional structure between even-aged and selection structure. It is characterized by large growing stock, small increment, low vitality, poor fir regeneration and increasing share of beech. Example of such case is permanent experimental plot situated in Croatia’s north Dinaric area and managed by “Croatian forests” Ltd., which is a subject of this research. The aim of this research is to explore different annual cut models which will in future direct forest into stabile and optimal growth rate in selection structure with adequate volume share of fir. Input data have been acquired from successive measurements on permanent experimental plot in beech-fir stand. Tree growth simulator MOSES version 3.0 was tested for applicability in local conditions and has been used for projecting future stand‘s growth. Four scenarios based on different cutting models have been used to simulate possible types of future management emphasizing fir natural regeneration, establishment and maintenance of selection structure with targeted volume share of fir versus beech, and also supporting valuable broad-leaved species. All scenarios represent fir volume reduction followed by aggressive beech regeneration and partially accomplishment of selection structure in long-term. Thus, obtained different future stand structures were compared and ranked based on stand attributes and economic indicators. Annual cut based on decennial volume increment and stocking has been found best scenario from aspects of ecological, management and economic sustainability.
Većina privatnih šumoposjednika u Hrvatskoj ima šumoposjed manji od 1 ha, što predstavlja značajan ograničavajući čimbenik u gospodarenju šumama. Cilj ovoga rada je ispitati povezanost ...sociodemografskih značajki šumoposjednika i obilježja šumoposjeda s razinom zainteresiranosti šumoposjednika za kupnju, zamjenu ili prodaju čestica pod šumom, u svrhu okrupnjavanja i povećanja suvislosti posjeda. Neposrednim anketiranjem ispitano je 500 šumoposjednika na području kontinentalne Hrvatske. Za dobivene podatke napravljena je statistička deskriptivna obrada, te izračunate mjere korelacije i testiranje razlika pojedinih kategorija. Rezultati ukazuju na jasnu povezanost sociodemografski, regionalnih i drugih obilježja šumoposjednika s razinom zainteresiranosti za okrupnjavanje šumoposjeda. Tipičan šumoposjednik zainteresiran za povećanje šumoposjeda je muškarac mlađi od 50 godina, sa završenom srednjom školom ili fakultetom, iz središnje Hrvatske koji je svoj posjed stekao kupnjom i već je aktivan bilo u udrugama šumoposjednika, bilo da koristi savjetodavne usluge Ministarstva poljoprivrede. Premali udio šumoposjednika zainteresiranih za prodaju šumoposjeda (18,9%) onemogućava daljnje okrupnjavanje. Prema tomu, mjere regulatora treba usmjeriti na proces nasljeđivanja, oprezivanje negospodarenja šumoposjedom i daljnje subvencioniranje aktivnog i disperziranog gospodarenja šumama (biomasa, nedrvni šumski proizvodi, općekorisne funkcije šuma, naknade za pohranu ugljika, naknade za ciljane vrste).
Most forest owners in Croatia have forest holdings smaller than 1 ha, while less than 1% have holdings larger than 10 ha. Parcelization of forest holdings in addition to small size presents significant limitation for forest management. Therefore, important aim of forest policy is to stimulate enlargement and consolidation of forest holdings. First step in that process is to recognize the characteristics of forest owners interested in enlargement of their holdings and active forest management.
The aim of this research is to relate the sociodemographic attributes of private forest owners and characteristics of their forest holdings with their interest for selling and/or buying forest estates for enlargement and consolidation of forestland area.
Direct survey questionnaire covered 500 private forest owners in continental part of Croatia. Respondents are classified by sex, education, employment, location of forest holding, activities in forest associations and means of acquisition of forest estate. Answers included level of interest for activities in enlargement and management of forest holdings. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics (arithmetic mean, median, and standard error), testing between groups (Mann Whitney and Kruskal Wallis test), and Spearman rank correlation.
The results indicate correlation of sociodemographic, regional and other characteristics of forest owners with their interest in enlargement of forest holding. According to these results most interested in enlargement of forest holding are younger male owners from the central Croatia who purchased forest and are already active in forest associations (tables 1 and 2). Non-employed and self-employed owners are also more interested in enlargement of forest area to increase their incomes (table 1). However significant share of owners (35%) are not interested in increase nor in selling their forest (Figure 1) which is an impediment in consolidation of forest areas.
The results of this study are useful for future forest policies aimed at small scale forestry, although these actions are subject to large scale restrictions due to increase of protected areas and limitations to forest management resulting from reducing carbon emissions. Therefore, state regulatory measures should aim at subsidizing active and diversified forest management (forest biomass, non-wood forest products, amenity values, credits for carbon sequestration, aimed species, biodiversity). On the other hand, law measures should improve the process of inheritance and penalize the abandonment of forest areas (sources of pests and diseases, invasive species, forest fires).
The environmental, social and economic potential of Dinaric uneven-aged forests along with the complex stand dynamics influenced by different long-term management approaches and environmental factors ...require comprehensive forest monitoring. This study aimed to explore differences in the current status and recent past dynamics of stand structures between unmanaged and managed mixed fir-beech forests in the Croatian part of the Dinaric Alps using large-scale data from an established monitoring system. From the 74 permanent sample plots distributed within the forest type measured in 2008 and re-measured in 2019, we stratified four strata (types of management regimes): (1) forests out of regular management and tree harvest for at least 30 years, (2) managed state forests on carbonate bedrock, (3) managed state forests on non-carbonate bedrock and (4) managed private forests. In each sample plot, 34 structural attributes were computed to assess indicators of their current status and recent past dynamics of stands in the studied forests. An increasing Q shape diameter distribution with a high number of large and very large trees characterize unmanaged forests and managed forests on non-carbonate bedrock. In managed state forests and private forests, variable (rotated sigmoid) and constant (negative exponential) results were obtained, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) distinguished managed and unmanaged forests with decreasing harvest volume and recruitment, increasing basal area, number of very large trees, average diameter at breast height (DBH), crown defoliation of firs and basal area of died beech trees. The current structure, recent and expected stand dynamics in the unmanaged forests (accumulation of standing volume, increase of large diameter trees and large snags, large share of beech, large mean DBH) can be recognized as old-growth attributes. The differences between the studied forest types, potential of both unmanaged and state managed fir-beech forests and approaches to sustain multifunctional forest management in the Dinaric region were discussed.
In recent decades, changes in stand structure in Central European fir-beech forests, such as accumulation of large-diameter firs, fir dieback, and poor regeneration, have been well documented. ...Besides environmental factors, light harvesting was suggested as one of the main drivers of the negative structural dynamics of these forests in Croatia. This study applied the MOSES 3.0 stand simulator on permanent sample plot data to reconstruct stand development over the past 20 years and simulate long-term projections of selection stand structure and regeneration with respect to theoretical values, using three management regimes differing by the applied harvesting intensity (traditionally applied, theoretical intensity, and no management). Sample plot data from three sets of detailed measurements (1992, 2002, and 2012) were used for validation of the simulator, and eleven 10-year cycles of management were then simulated under the above management scenarios. Results showed a positive influence of harvest intensity on stand regeneration and the achievement of a targeted selection structure in the long term. Two management scenarios predicted a decrease in stand volume (34% and 40%, respectively), an increase in the initial percentage (28%) of beech and maple (58% and 75%, respectively), and the achievement of optimal stand regeneration of 11-13 recruited trees per hectare annually (60% firs). No management scenario could achieve old-growth structure (accumulation of standing stock, large trees, and deadwood). The theoretical intensity scenario was evaluated as the better approach to be applied in this type of forest stands in Croatia.
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