Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is the country with the highest proportion of forest, and the greatest diversity in types of forest, in the western Balkans. At the same time, this region is one of the most diverse in regards to forest types, in all of Europe. Forest resources cover 63% of the total land area and thus play an important role, for both the country’s economy and the local living conditions and standards. Together with the timber processing industry and agricultural industry, forestry is an important factor in the municipality and has a direct impact on the development and well-being of the inhabitants.
In Bosnia, about 20% of the forest area is privately owned. But this forest area is, for the most part, an unexploited resource. The property sizes are very small and often the ownership is either unknown or ambiguous, or the owners have no or only modest knowledge in regard to forestry. Moreover, the state bureaucracy is lacking transparancy, which makes makes issuing of transport- and harvesting permits a long, expensive, and for the people involved, almost immeasurable affair.
At Skovdyrkerne / DFE, we regard the creation of workers associations and labor unions an important instrument for influencing the authorities to improve the framework conditions of the private forestry sector, as well as improving the knowledge regarding responsible forest management. In October 2018, in cooperation with our local partner; Forestry Environmental Action (Fea.), at a founding general meeting, DFE established Bosnia’s first cantonal forestry association. Forestry has, since ancient times been cultivated in the municipality of Busovača. And the development of forestry has been continuously developed since then. It can be dated back hundreds of years to traces of charcoal burning over two millennia ago. The production of charcoal is a tradition that came to Bosnia from Italy. Charcoal burning was performed to extract tar and resin, and the coal was obtained as a by-product. Before the First World War, the development of forestry was influenced by the Austrian/Hungarian state, after which Bosnia developed the forestry itself. Charcoal burning is still a business in Busovača, Fojnica and Kreševo.
The value of uniting nationwide
Because most Bosnian forest owners administer smaller areas, forestry in Bosnia-Herzegovina is similar to forestry in Denmark in many aspects. The most significant difference is thus to be found on the organizational level.
Forest owner Jako Čavaraca lives near Kupres Village in the municipality of Busovača in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He owns and administers 6 ha of land in the Canton of Central Bosnia. The area has belonged to his family for generations and over time, they have extended their plot. Čavaraca underlines the value of having united in the Association of Private Forest Owners. The biggest challenge the Bosnian foresters face is unresolved property relations and the fragmentation of plots. A fragmented market and the negative impact of policy on forest management, which implies the absence of laws and other bylaws in this area, are other challenges the foresters face, Jako Čavaraca explains.
The Danish foresters are organized and represented through Skovdyrkerne. The value in being able to stand as on in a union of Danish foresters has been obvious to Danish foresters more than 100 years back. By organizing the Danish foresters secure political influence and public awareness on forestry related subjects and the rights and conditions of foresters. In Bosnia, no such thing as a forester’s union has existed up until recently. The organization of foresters in the Association of Private Forest Owners in the Canton of Central Bosnia, has had a direct effect in regards to Jako Čavaraca’s life and work as a forester; With the establishment of the Association of Private Forest Owners in the Canton of Central Bosnia certain shifts were noticed, which have been reflected in the greater interest of forest owners in solving the problems of forest management. Private forest owners are increasingly interested in enhancement of the quality of their forest estates, and they strive for the arrangement of documentation for resolving property-legal relations. The association has encouraged private forest owners to jointly address the issue of private forests and has encouraged the importance of private forests in a global perspective.” says Čavaraca.
The organizing of forest workers is important in order to gain political influence, but also to be heard and raise public awareness regarding the value of forests and the work of foresters. “The association has encouraged the private forest owners to collectively address the challenges they face and point to the value and importance of private foresters globally.”
Danish Forestry Extension works with the organization forestry and environmental action; fea. in short, in Bosnia. Since 2017 fea. has been working towards increasing the political influence of foresters in Bosnia-Herzegovina. fea. works to increase environmental awareness and secure responsible cultivation of forests and natural areas in collaboration with regional foresters and politicians. One of their most important tasks lies in the improvement of the framework conditions for private forest owners and forest workers through lobbying.
A solution with hooves
Jako Čavaras plot is located in a part of Bosnia that is particularly hilly. This brings up certain challenges concerning plantation:„Since the property consists of several plots that are at different altitudes and geological bases, the composition of tree species and the quality of the stands are different. Mixed forests of beech, fir and spruce dominate. The altitudes of plots varies from from 500 to 800 meters above sea-level. The plot on which the fallow deer farm was established is dominated by a coppice forest of hornbeam, birch and other deciduous trees of lower quality wood assortments. On the plot there are individual trees of sessile oak, fir and spruce as well as wild fruit trees (e.g. apple, cherry).“
The fallow deer has been part of the solution for making useful the less profitable parts of the plot. Apart from making use of these areas, the deer go hand in hand with Jako Čavaras vision concerning a higher level of biodiversity and sustainability on his plot. The demarcation of the area makes possible a larger variation of plants fungi and insects in the area.
”The fallow deer farm was established in the forest and land of poor quality and low economic value. The farm itself has contributed to increase the economic value of the area, with other effects such as tourism development, breeding and others. A quality relationship has been achieved between the contribution of nutritional abilities and breeding.“
Says Jako Čavara.
A fundamental balance
Jako Čavara doesn’t just reflect on sustainability in regard to his own forest and life as a forest owner. He has a general view on the value of sustainable forestry and manufacturing of woodrelated products as a condition for the well-being of humans in general. To him, sustainability is a fundamental balance, that must be present when working with nature;
„Sustainability is the balance of certain processes. In this case, it is related to sustainable management between biological and human factors. With the growing population, there is an obligation for biological and ecological systems to remain diverse, while providing the necessary productivity that will meet the growing demands. Accordingly, we encounter increasing unsustainable management of natural resources, through uncontrolled logging, environmental pollution, or waste disposal in the forest, and all this affects the water regime, air quality, etc. This imposes on us that the responsible use of natural resources is an increase in biodiversity.“
Jako Čavara is a qualified forest engineer of profession and hence sustainable development and responsible exploitation of natural resources is not only an area in which he has a great del of expertise, it is an area of great interest to him. Naturally being a forest owner is also running a business, but running that business Jako Čavaras focuses on doing it in a sustainable fashion. The profit is not all that matters. As Čavaras puts it himself; ”The economic significance of forest ownership is the use of wood forest assortments and non-wood forest products. The non-economic significance of forest ownership is a positive impact on the environment, by oxygen production, regulation of water regime, prevention of erosion, etc.“
He elaborates; „The main focus of forestry engineers, and for me personally, is the sustainable management of forest resources, which means seeking a balance between the economic benefits of forests and the further improvement of biodiversity.“
Bosnia na Herzegovina (BH) ni nchi yenye uwiano mkubwa wa misitu, na utofauti mkubwa katika aina ya misitu, katika Balkan magharibi. Wakati huo huo, mkoa huu ni moja ya mbalimbali zaidi katika suala la aina ya misitu, katika Ulaya yote. Misitu inashughulikia asilimia 63 ya eneo la nchi nzima na hivyo ina jukumu muhimu kwa uchumi wa nchi na hali ya maisha ya wenyeji. Pamoja na viwanda vya usindikaji wa mbao na viwanda vya kilimo, misitu ni sababu muhimu katika manispaa na ina athari ya moja kwa moja kwa maendeleo na ustawi wa wakazi. Katika Bosnia, karibu asilimia 20 ya misitu ni mali ya kibinafsi. Lakini eneo hili la msitu, kwa sehemu kubwa, ni rasilimali isiyochukuliwa. Kwa sababu ya ukubwa wa mali ni ndogo sana na mara nyingi umiliki ni ama haijulikani au ni wazi, au wamiliki hawana au tu ujuzi mdogo kuhusu misitu. Kwa kuongezea, uburudani wa serikali haujulikani, na hii inafanya utoaji wa vibali vya usafirishaji na mavuno kuwa kazi ndefu, ghali, na kwa watu wanaohusika, karibu isiyoweza kupimwa. Katika Skovdyrkerne DFE, tunaona uundaji wa vyama vya wafanyakazi na vyama vya wafanyakazi kama chombo muhimu cha kushawishi mamlaka kuboresha hali za mfumo wa sekta ya misitu ya kibinafsi, na pia kuboresha maarifa kuhusu usimamizi wa misitu wenye uwajibikaji. Katika Oktoba 2018, kwa ushirikiano na mshirika wetu wa ndani; Forestry Environmental Action (FEA). Katika mkutano wa msingi wa jumla, DFE ilianzisha chama cha kwanza cha misitu ya Bosnia. Misitu imekuwa, tangu nyakati za kale imekuwa kulimwa katika manispaa ya Busovača. Na maendeleo ya misitu yameendelea kuendelezwa tangu wakati huo. Inaweza kuchukuliwa kuwa ilitengenezwa mamia ya miaka iliyopita kutokana na nyayo za makaa ya mawe yaliyokuwa yakichomwa zaidi ya elfu mbili zilizopita. Uzalishaji wa makaa ya mawe ni utamaduni uliokuja Bosnia kutoka Italia. Makaa ya mawe yalichomwa ili kutokeza lami na utomvu, na makaa ya mawe yalipatikana kama bidhaa ya ziada. Kabla ya Vita Kuu ya Kwanza ya Dunia, maendeleo ya misitu yaliathiriwa na serikali ya Austria-Hungary, baada ya hapo Bosnia iliendeleza misitu yenyewe. Moto wa makaa ya mawe bado ni biashara katika Busovača, Fojnica na Kreševo. Kwa sababu wamiliki wengi wa misitu ya Bosnia wanasimamia maeneo madogo, misitu ya Bosnia-Herzegovina ni sawa na misitu ya Denmark katika mambo mengi. Tofauti kubwa zaidi ni hivyo kupatikana katika ngazi ya shirika. Mmiliki wa msitu Jako Čavaraca anaishi karibu na Kijiji cha Kupres katika manispaa ya Busovača huko Bosnia-Herzegovina. Yeye anamiliki na kusimamia hekta 6 za ardhi katika Canton ya Bosnia ya Kati. Eneo hilo limekuwa la familia yake kwa vizazi vingi na baada ya muda, wamepanua shamba lao. Čavaraca anasisitiza thamani ya kuwa na umoja katika Chama cha Wamiliki wa Msitu wa Kibinafsi. Changamoto kubwa ambayo wakulima wa Bosnia wanakabiliwa nayo ni mahusiano ya umiliki yasiyoweza kutatuliwa na kugawanyika kwa mashamba. "Soko lililopunguzwa na athari mbaya ya sera juu ya usimamizi wa misitu, ambayo inamaanisha kutokuwa na sheria na kanuni zingine katika eneo hili, ni changamoto zingine ambazo wakulima wanakabiliwa nazo, ""anaelezea Jakov Čavara." Wanasayansi wa misitu wa Denmark wamepangwa na kuwakilishwa kupitia Skovdyrkerne. Uwezo wa kuunda na kuunda ushirika wa wakulima wa Denmark ni muhimu sana kwa wakulima wa Denmark. Kwa kuandaa misitu ya Denmark kupata ushawishi wa kisiasa na ufahamu wa umma juu ya mada zinazohusiana na misitu na haki na hali ya misitu. Katika Bosnia, hakuna kitu kama chama cha wafanyakazi wa misitu imekuwapo hadi hivi karibuni. Kuanzishwa kwa Chama cha Wamiliki wa Misitu ya Kibinafsi katika Canton ya Bosnia ya Kati, imesababisha mabadiliko makubwa katika maisha ya Jakov Čavarača na kazi yake kama mfugaji wa misitu. Wamiliki wa misitu binafsi wanavutiwa zaidi na kuboresha ubora wa mashamba yao ya misitu, na wanajitahidi kwa mpangilio wa nyaraka kwa ajili ya kutatua mahusiano ya mali-kisheria. Chama hicho kimewahimiza wamiliki wa misitu ya kibinafsi kushughulikia pamoja suala la misitu ya kibinafsi na kimehimiza umuhimu wa misitu ya kibinafsi katika mtazamo wa kimataifa. <unk> anasema Čavaraca. Kujipanga kwa wafanyakazi wa misitu ni muhimu ili kupata ushawishi wa kisiasa, lakini pia kusikilizwa na kuongeza ufahamu wa umma kuhusu thamani ya misitu na kazi ya wakulima. "Mashirika hayo yamewatia moyo wamiliki wa misitu ya kibinafsi kushughulikia changamoto wanazokabili pamoja na kuonyesha thamani na umuhimu wa misitu ya kibinafsi ulimwenguni. ""Mashirika ya Upanuaji wa Misitu ya Denmark hufanya kazi na shirika la misitu na hatua za mazingira." Kwa kifupi, katika Bosnia. Tangu 2017 fea. Amekuwa akifanya kazi ili kuongeza ushawishi wa kisiasa wa wakulima wa misitu nchini Bosnia na Herzegovina. fea. Kazi ya kuongeza ufahamu wa mazingira na kuhakikisha kilimo cha uwajibikaji wa misitu na maeneo ya asili kwa kushirikiana na wakulima wa misitu ya kikanda na wanasiasa. Moja ya kazi zao muhimu zaidi iko katika kuboresha hali ya mfumo kwa wamiliki wa misitu binafsi na wafanyakazi wa misitu kupitia lobbying. Kwa sababu ya kuvutia kwa viumbe, J. Čavara aliishi katika eneo la Bosnia na Herzegovina, ambalo ni eneo la milima. Hii huleta changamoto fulani kuhusu kilimo: Kwa kuwa mali inajumuisha viwanja kadhaa ambavyo viko kwenye urefu tofauti na misingi ya kijiolojia, muundo wa spishi za miti na ubora wa misitu ni tofauti. Misitu ya mchanganyiko ya mialoni, mialoni, na mialoni ndiyo inayodhibiti eneo hilo. Urefu wa ardhi ni kati ya mita 500 na 800 juu ya usawa wa bahari. Sehemu ambayo shamba la nyati la udongo lilianzishwa inatawaliwa na msitu wa misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu ya misitu. Kwenye njama kuna miti ya mtu binafsi ya sessile mwaloni, fir na spruce kama vile miti ya matunda ya mwituni (kwa mfano apple, cherry). The fallow deer imekuwa sehemu ya suluhisho kwa kufanya muhimu sehemu chini ya faida ya njama. Mbali na kutumia maeneo haya, nyati kwenda mkono kwa mkono na maono Jako Čavaras kuhusu ngazi ya juu ya utofauti wa kibiolojia na uendelevu juu ya njama yake. Mpaka wa eneo hilo hufanya iwezekane kutofautiana zaidi kwa mimea, kuvu, na wadudu katika eneo hilo. Kulima ya nyati ya udongo ilianzishwa katika msitu na ardhi ya ubora duni na thamani ya chini ya kiuchumi. Shamba lenyewe limeshiriki kuongeza thamani ya kiuchumi ya eneo hilo, na athari zingine kama vile maendeleo ya utalii, uzalishaji na wengine. Uhusiano wa ubora umefikiwa kati ya mchango wa uwezo wa lishe na uzalishaji. <unk> Anasema Jako Čavara. Usawa wa msingi Jako Čavara haionyeshi tu uendelevu kuhusiana na msitu wake mwenyewe na maisha kama mmiliki wa msitu. Ana maoni ya jumla juu ya thamani ya misitu endelevu na utengenezaji wa bidhaa zinazohusiana na mbao kama hali ya ustawi wa wanadamu kwa ujumla. Kwa yeye, uendelevu ni usawa wa msingi, ambao lazima uwepo wakati wa kufanya kazi na asili; <unk>Uendelevu ni usawa wa michakato fulani. Katika kesi hii, inahusiana na usimamizi endelevu kati ya sababu za kibiolojia na binadamu. Kwa kuongezeka kwa idadi ya watu, kuna wajibu kwa mifumo ya kibiolojia na ikolojia kubaki tofauti, wakati kutoa uzalishaji muhimu ambayo itakidhi mahitaji ya kuongezeka. Kwa hivyo, tunakabiliwa na kuongezeka kwa usimamizi usio na uthabiti wa rasilimali za asili, kupitia ukataji wa miti usio na udhibiti, uchafuzi wa mazingira, au kutupwa kwa taka katika msitu, na yote haya yanaathiri mfumo wa maji, ubora wa hewa, nk. "Jako Cevara ni mhandisi wa misitu wa kitaaluma na kwa hivyo maendeleo endelevu na utumiaji wa dhamana ya rasilimali za asili sio tu eneo ambalo ana uzoefu mkubwa, ni eneo la maslahi makubwa kwake. """ Kwa kweli, kuwa mmiliki wa misitu pia ni kuendesha biashara, lakini kuendesha biashara hiyo Jako Čavaras inazingatia kuifanya kwa njia endelevu. Faida si jambo pekee linalohitajiwa. Kama Čavaras mwenyewe anavyosema; <unk>Uuhimu wa kiuchumi wa umiliki wa misitu ni matumizi ya aina za misitu ya mbao na bidhaa zisizo za misitu. "Ubora wa utajiri wa misitu ni athari nzuri kwa mazingira, kwa uzalishaji wa oksijeni, udhibiti wa mfumo wa maji, kuzuia mmomonyoko, na kadhalika. ""Lengo kuu la wahandisi wa misitu, na kwa ajili yangu binafsi, ni usimamizi endelevu wa rasilimali za misitu, ambayo inamaanisha kutafuta usawa kati ya faida za kiuchumi za misitu na uboreshaji zaidi wa bioanuwai. """