Coppice Forests: Can Traditional Coppice Forest Management Help the Western Balkan Region?

Abstract

Coppice forests are widespread throughout Europe, but in Western Balkan countries these coppice forests play an especially vital role in the everyday lives of their inhabitants. In the Western Balkan region firewood still plays a major role in cooking and interior heating, with about two-thirds of the population using firewood to stay warm rather than using electrical heating. This paper will be an analysis of the current situation of coppice forests in the Western Balkan region and the opportunities that may be available to the region. The paper will look at the policies implemented in the region and the effects they have had on the activities related to coppice forests in the countries of Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia. The main focus of this paper will be on how Oak coppice forests can help improve the Western Balkan region economies. The limited size and ownership of private forests allow for coppice forests to become an economic asset for rural areas. The integration of traditional practices and new scientific management practices lead to an increase in coppice forests in the region.