Easement of forests and forest land for the growing of perennial crops - the analysis of (non)functionality regarding the ecological network and ecosystem functions

Abstract

By the Government's decisions from the period 2004 to 2013, a significant amount of state forests and forest land was eased for the growing of perennial crops (vineyards and olive yards) on a total surface of 24,310.24 ha throughout the state. Although greatly opposed by forestry professionals, since a vast amount of private agricultural land in the state is not utilized due to unresolved proprietary issues, these surfaces have become agricultural land by coming into force from the Forest Act of 2014. In case these dedicated surfaces are not put into function, the amount of non-utilized agricultural land is increasing and so is the danger from forest fires, and loss of biological and landscape diversity. On the other hand, if all these surfaces were utilized, a significant adverse impact on the ecological network would occur because on many ecological network sites more than 1% of the dedicated area consists of target habitat types (mostly maquis). The purpose of this paper is, to use GIS tools and analysis of the so-far signed easement contracts, to determine what amount of dedicated surfaces were utilized and point out the failure and environmental dangers that may arise from these decisions which can still be revoked, and the affected area can be brought back into the forest area of the Republic of Croatia, i. e. sustainable forest management can still be reinstated and forest functions restored.