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ŠUMARSKI LIST 13/2005 str. 196     <-- 196 -->        PDF

B. Prpić, P. Jurjcvić. II. Jakovac: ASSESSING THE VALUE OF ANTI-EROSIVE ...
Šumarski list SUPLEMENT (2005). 186-194
The method of evaluating and estimating the noncommercial
forest functions was published in the National
Journal of the Republic of Croatia Nr. 191/1997
in the "Statute on changes and amendments of the Statute
on forest management" as a sub law act of the Forest
Law of the Republic of Croatia passed in 1990.


The valuation of the anti-erosive, hydrological and
water-protective forest functions in Croatia was published
by the implementation of Articles 91 and 92 of the
mentioned Statute. The results of the calculation are
presented in the enclosed table (Table 1).


Total area of Croatian forests is 1,903,115 ha, while
the calculated value of their functions according to the
Statute amounts to € 9,395,572,002. The average value


per ha is € 4,937, while the average annual value per ha
amounts to € 99, i.e. € 188,408,385 of all forests.


Neither this method can calculate the real value of
the said forest functions, since the point value has not
changed in the last ten years in spite of the growing
awareness of the significance and value of the noncommercial
forest functions. This particularly relates
to the climatic changes and the consequences they cause
either as drought or flood and life-claiming torrents.
It also relates to the binding of carbon dioxide as a significant
greenhouse gas. In spite of this, this price is
twice as high than the value of € 94.5 million, calculated
by Vuletić and Sab ad i (2004) for the same
functions.


CONCLUSIONS


1.
The anti-erosive, hydrological and water-protective
forest functions belong to the most significant
protective forest functions. Within the protection of
the environment, the anti-erosive and hydrological
functions are deciding in the prevention of erosion,
torrents and floods. By making water drinkable, the
water-protective function is essential for man´s survival.
2.
While assessing the value of the non-commercial
forest functions, a forestry engineer should also have
experience in understanding them. The expert
valuation of a forest stand and the combining of its
structural components with the individual beneficial
functions are essential.
3.
The valuation of the social forest functions (aesthetic,
health, recreation, tourism) will require a questionnaire,
provided that the examined people should
be well chosen depending on their functions. The
results of the questionnaire may help in making final
assessments on the aesthetic and tourism-related
forest functions.
4.
The evaluation of the non-commercial forest functions
by the principles of money value, i.e. considering
that the value is assessed by market criteria,
while all ecological, socio/eco-physiological functions
(genetics, biodiversity, nature-conservation
and physiology - binding of carbon dioxide and releasing
of oxygen) will be underestimated according
to our to date experience. Their real value cannot be
assessed objectively. The ecological and biological
forest capital even today exceeds by thirty and more
times the value of the raw material and energy, while
the valuations by economic principles only negligibly
exceed the raw material/energy value.


5.
As to the conservation of the forest stock against the
useless conversion to other purposes, a currently
adequate evaluation method by point system has
been legalised by a sub-law act within the Law on
Forests of the Republic of Croatia.
6.
Owing to their natural composition, Croatian forests
have a very high generally beneficial value,
which is constantly increasing through the maintenance
of the optimal development phase and a short
natural regeneration. With the silvicultural practices
of the Zagreb School of Silviculture, forests are maintained
from one regeneration to another, in order
to retain their beneficial functions.
7.
The calculation of the total anti-erosive, hydrological
and water-protective forest functions managed
by Hrvatske šume Ltd., upon an area of 80 %
of the total Croatian growing stock, amounts to
€ 9,395,572,002. This was calculated by the official
methodology of the Law on Forests of the Republic
of Croatia. The average value per 1 ha is thus
€ 4,937, while the agreed average annual value of
all forests per 1 ha is € 99, i.e. € 188,408,385.