Systemic Problems of Reforestation Discussed at the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts

On Thursday, 24.11.2016, scientists and top decision makers from the Slovenian forestry sector gathered at the scientific conference: “Forests and Wood: Systemic Problems of Reforestation” to discuss the systemic problems of reforestation in Slovenia. The conference was organised by the 4^th Class for Natural Sciences of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA), the Council for Conservation of the Environment (CCE) of SASA and the Slovenian Forestry Institute.

The conference was opened by the president of the SASA, academic Tadej Bajd, and presentations contributed by leading professionals and researches from the main Slovenian forestry institutions: the Slovenian State Secretary for Forestry and the Director of the Directorate for Forestry, Fisheries and Hunting from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, the Slovenian Forestry Institute, Slovenia Forest Service, Biotechnical faculty of the University of Ljubljana.

Dr. Marjana Westergren, co-leader of the action on policies within the LIFEGENMON, presented the status of forest nurseries and seed production in Slovenia in an interesting and well-received presentation. Among the highlights of her presentation was that the natural regeneration, as the main practice in the Slovenian co-natural forestry practice, can not achieve all goals after big disturbances, while the number of forest tree nurseries in Slovenia and their provision of forest reproductive material has been decreasing throughout the last two decades. This issue will need to be addressed in order to ensure optimal forest restoration and genetic diversity in forest stands, affected by natural calamities.

At the conclusion of the conference the broad discussion, moderated by Acad. Andrej Kranjc, president of CCE, Prof. dr.dr.h.c. Nikolaj Torelli, and Prof. Dr. Hojka Kraigher, LIFEGENMON Project Coordinator, highlighted the challenges and the way forward in the restoration of Slovenian forests.