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ŠUMARSKI LIST 3-4/2009 str. 70     <-- 70 -->        PDF

D. Vuletić, S. Krajter, M. Mrazek, A. Ćorić: NEDRVNI ŠUMSKI PROIZVODI I USLUGE – ...Šumarski list br. 3–4, CXXXIII (2009), 175-184
For the purpose of better understanding of existing level of usage and development
possibilities based on this products, under the Project: “Identifying of values of non-
wood forest products and services and possibilities of its use” financed by Croatian
forests ltd.co on field of its Forest District Karlovac covering area of Peters’ mountain,
this investigation has been conducted on citizens of tree municipalities: Topusko,
Vojnić and Gvozd. The aim was to find out how local citizens recognized forest functions
and its products and services, and are they use them and how. Special aim was to
find out presence of interest for starting the entrepreneurship among local citizens.
For method the interview face-to-face using semi-structured questionnaire was chosen.
Peters’ mountain is area traditionally forestry oriented but recently also known as
recreational area with more expressed social services.


Project is realized in cooperation of Forest research institute, Jastrebarsko, Department
for forest management and forestry economics, Croatian forests ltd.co Forest
District Karlovac and postgraduate student from Paris 12 University.
Additionally this project will result with two master theses.


Presented results showing that this type of research, beside all its difficulties and
imperfections provide valuable information and good basis for objective assessment
of non-wood forest products and services use, as well existing interest for starting private
entrepreneurship. Level of non-wood forest products usage can be assessed as
high with prevailing use of mushrooms (76,0 %), followed by forests’ fruits (51,4 %),
honey (25,5 %) and medicinal plants (20,2 %) (table 1). In case of recognition of forest
functions’ importance, the most important is timber production function (79,3 %),
second is health (67,3 %), and non-wood forest products (50,5 %). Beside the strong
recognition of productive forest function important is to stress very strong recognition
of social forest functions.


Majority of respondents (60 %) visiting forest often, 42 % of them even during Winter,
and most frequently chosen reasons for visit are leisure and entertainment (41,3
%), health (36,5 %) and sport and recreation (21,2 %) (table 3). The frequency of visits,
and interest for sport and recreation growing with achieved level of education
and household income. Visitors while they are in forests most often picking forests’
fruits (75 %), walk (64,9 %) or observe wildlife (31,7 %).


Concerning their satisfaction with situation in forest and offer 45,3 % are completely
satisfied, 42,2 % are partially satisfied and only 12,5 % are not satisfied at all.
Level of satisfaction has reverse proportionality with level of education and household
incomes.


Interest for starting private entrepreneurship is studied using model of logistic regression
which put some light of direction and strength of influence of investigated variables
on one Yes/No question. Results revealed that private forest owners has 2,6
times bigger willingness for starting the entrepreneurship than other population (table
2). On appearance of positive answer on that question use of non-wood forest products
has positive influence. Based on results gained the average possible private entrepreneur
can be described as private forest owner which use forest fruits for private
purpose but also for sale, he has low level of education and low household income. In
addition he is not enough informed on possibilities and existing development programs,
he expecting primarily financial help from local authorities but also additional
training; and he is not very keen to affiliate with other entrepreneurs.


On those findings clear need for more intensive influence of local authorities and
Forest Extension Service is stressed out. Main areas of work could be raising awareness
on possibilities for improving private forest estate, starting private entrepreneurship
based on intensified use of forest products and services. Those activities has to
be facilitated by Forest Extension Service but also by Croatian forests ltd.co which
can act as motivator or work in cooperation with new private entrepreneurs.


Key words:Non wood forest products and services, Peter‘s mountain, questionnaire,
private entrepreneurship, rural development