Soil disturbance is often an inevitable consequence of machine movements in the forest stand during which soil compression occurs and, depending on the soil bearing capacity, root system is prone to damage. In this paper, the analysis of soil disturbance was performed after harvester felling and cutting, and subsequent timber forwarding in thinning operations in a broadleaved stand. First, the trees for cutting were marked together with appropriate ghost trails as well as forwarding routes for timber extraction. Both harvester and forwarder were equipped with a Fleet Management System (FMS), which provided the spatial position and coordinates in the stand. By analysing the obtained coordinates in the ArcGIS 10.1 program package, movement and routes of both machines were obtained. The obtained results showed that the total amount of soil disturbance in the stand for both machines was 13.19 %, and due to the good soil bearing capacity and the lack of rutting, there was no soil damage in the stand. This research has confirmed the thesis that proper organisational measures can reduce soil damage to the minimum extent.

The first part of the paper explains the connection between visits to protected areas of nature and the circumstances to which visitors are exposed, regarding safety and physical strain, during their stay and sightseeing. It is stated that the use of park infrastructure, especially hiking trails, requires increased attention and physical engagement of visitors (especially due to length, longitudinal slope, altitude, etc.) in order to avoid undesirable consequences for visitors and for the protected area management. For assessing the risk of physical (over)load in hiking the Podgarić – Garić Town trail, heart rate method was applied to a quota sample of respondents using the Garmin Forerunner 910XT and BOSS DB–3 metronome. The degree of physical load and the associated level of general physical fitness were determined for each respondent based on the percent increase in heart rate during trail hiking. Within the research results, an optimal risk assessment matrix was selected and a »Take a Brake« scheme was developed, by which a regime for trail hiking was recommended to each respondent, based on age group and self-defined physical fitness. The regime included the type and number of resting points and the duration of the break/rest in minutes.

In Croatia pines are known and valued as pioneer tree species often used for afforestation of degraded habitats and are thus of a great ecological value, especially Austrian pine in Mediterranean karst area and often also the Scots pine in continental parts of the country. At the same time, these tree species are susceptible hosts for various fungal pathogens, one of them being Dothistroma spp., causative agent of red band needle blight. In this research symptomatic needles were collected from Austrian and Scots pine in autumn (September and October) 2015 and spring (May) 2016 in forest plantations at two localities, one maritime (Novaki Pazinski, forest office Pazin area) and one continental (park forest Borik, forest office Đurđevac area). Needles from each pine species, sampling area and sampling period were analysed for the number of present Dothistroma spp. fruiting bodies and their maturity. Occurrence of other fungi was also determined on the same needles. Results revealed statistically significant difference in number of fruiting bodies in all maturity stages (immature, half-developed, mature, empty) on Austrian pine needles in maritime location (Novaki Pazinski) between samples collected in September 2015 and ones collected in May 2016, with a total of 1951 fruiting bodies detected in spring and only 22 in autumn on the sample of 99 and 100 needles, respectively. As for the Scots pine at continental location (Borik), results showed that immature fruiting bodies were statistically more numerous in October 2015, whereas mature and empty ones were statistically more numerous in May 2016, with total numbers of fruiting bodies being similar, that is, without statistically significant difference (541 in autumn, 414 in spring). Given data are in accordance with generally reported pathogen biology from literature and previous research, and the difference between two locations is most probably the result of somewhat later sampling period for Scots pine in Đurđevac forestry office area, but also of different climatic conditions characteristic for each location and difference in susceptibility of researched hosts. This was also confirmed by comparison of acervuli number present on needles of Austrian and Scots pine from the same location (Borik) and collected in the same period (May 2016), which showed that half-developed and mature acervuli containing partially or fully developed infective conidia were statistically more numerous on Austrian pine. Other detected fungi were present on a small number of analysed needles (8 %), Lophodermium pinastri and Cyclaneusma sp. on both pine species, and Sphaeropsis sapinea and Truncatella hartigii only on Austrian pine.

Pedunculate oak is one of the three most common tree species in Croatia and has an important role in economic, social and environmental terms. Knowledge of the genetic structure for such a significant forest tree species is the fundamental prerequisite for its future preservation. Specifically, the knowledge of the genetic structure allows more advanced use of forest reproductive material in order to increase the adaptability of oak populations to stressful environmental conditions. Analysis of quantitative (polygene, metric) phenotypic traits in genetic field trials is one of the methods to determine forest tree species genetic structure. Seed material was collected from sixteen seeds and one normally managed stand, representing the distribution range of pedunculate oak in Croatia, in September and October 2006. With two-year-old seedlings, in 2008 a genetic field trial was established in the area of the Management Unit Jastrebarski lugovi. The height growth was measured and the survival and height increment were determined through three consecutive years (2010–2012). The variance analysis was performed by the PROC MIXED procedure in the SAS statistical package, and the variance components and the statistical significance of random effects were calculated (blocks, populations, population within populations, interactions of block with populations, and interaction of blocks with families with populations). Variance components were used to calculate the QST parameter that determines the level of interpopulation genetic differentiation. Multivariate regression tree analysis (MRT) was used to determine the pattern of genetic differentiation and classify population into groups (clusters) for the investigated quantitative traits, depending on the environmental (climatic) variables of their habitat of origin. The QST parameter was high for all three analysed traits, which clearly indicates interpopulation genetic differentiation of Croatian oak populations. The established pattern of adaptive genetic differentiation is confirmed by the ecotypic pattern, i.e. most probably the natural selection in parental stands (primarily considering the humidity and heat of the habitat) caused the genetic differentiation of local populations.

The cloning of silver fir trees by rooting of hardwood cuttings is allegedly feasible, even at older age. However, very scarse literature on this topic does not define a reliable method or technology that could be used for effective cloning of the species. By selecting plus trees in one base population, a breeding process of silver fir as a Christmas tree was initiated in Croatia. The next stage of the process is the optimization of the cloning procedure of selected plus trees for the mass production of their reproductive material (seedlings). It is assumed that in this way qualitative reproductive material exhibiting stability of targeted phenotypic traits will be produced.
The main aim of the research was to determine the success of various hormonal treatments on rotting of hardwood cuttings of older silver fir trees (20+ years). Two experiments were carried out. In the first experiment, 270 cuttings were cut in early spring from each of the three crown levels (upper, middle and lower third of the crown), on a sample of 10 trees. The cuttings from each level were treated with 24 different treatments (dipped in IBA and NAA hormone solutions of 250, 500, 2500 and 5000 ppm for 10 s, 1 h and 2 h). In addition to these treatments, 10 cuttings from each crown level were treated with a commercial hormone product named Clonex (a gel). Additional 10 cuttings were treated with distilled water for 2 h and the remaining 10 were not treated. The last two groups of cuttings served as a control of the success of the analyzed hormonal treatments. Another study was conducted on 80 cuttings cut in late fall from the lower third of the crown of 18 selected plus trees. Twenty cuttings were treated for 10 s with: (i) 2500 ppm IBA solution, (ii) 10000 ppm IBA solution, and (iii) 2500 ppm IBA + 500 ppm NAA solution. The remaining 20 cuttings served as a control. Afterwards, the cuttings were placed in containers filled with peat, sand and perlite substrate. The rooting success, the number of roots per cutting, and the length of the longest developed root were determined later in October.
The percentage of rooted cuttings was very low, regardless of the collection time of cuttings, their position in the crown or hormonal treatment (0–20 %). It was generally concluded that the cloning of silver fir trees by rooting of hardwood cuttings had a very low success. Applied experimental methods have not been shown to be effective for mass cloning of trees at the age of 20 and over. Hormonal treatment of cutting base increased the efficiency of their rooting and the quality of developed roots in relation to untreated cuttings although the obtained results were not convincing enough to allow practical recommendations. The highest success (20 % of rooted cuttings) was achieved by dipping cuttings taken in early spring from the lower third of the crown of trees in IBA hormone solution of 2500 ppm for 10 s. Generally, cuttings taken from trees at that age were not rooted without hormone treatment. However, specific genotypes whose cuttings have been rooted even without a hormonal treatment have been identified, although performing a very low percentage of rooting. Great intergenotypic variation was established, both in the ability to root untreated cuttings as well as in responses to hormonal treatment of cuttings.

By the 1950s, Korean forests had become very devastated after the Korean War. Since then, the forest area and the growing stock have recovered in remarkable speed. Through various forest restoration policies, now 63 % of Korea is covered with forests, which amounts to 6.335 million ha. Currently, the growing stock of Korean forests is showing an increase every year. On the contrary, forest area is decreasing because of the so called »Forest Land Conversion« project. Due to the project, forests have been converted for other purposes such as new roads, housing construction, industrial complexes, etc. In 2015 the growing stock was 924.81 million m3, higher by 15.6 % than in 2010. This is a 12.4-fold increase from 1973, when the »Erosion Control and Greening Project« began. The main conifer species in Korea are red pine (Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc.), Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc.), Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi Lamb.), Pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) and Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Siebold & Zucc., Endl.) and Oak species (Quercus spp.), Japanese chestnut (Castanea crenata Siebold & Zucc.), Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and Birch (Betula spp.). The percentage of forestry vehicles such as harvesters, tower yarders and processors is remarkably low in South Korea. Short-wood logging method with a chain saw for felling and bucking the trees and excavators equipped with grapples for timber extraction are the most widely used harvesting system in South Korea. The current density of Korean forest roads is only 3.32 %.

This paper gives an overview of good solutions and arrangements in forestry entrepreneurship. The review is based on the available literary sources and it mainly presents the FAO and UNECE document entitled »Good Practice in Contract Labor in Forestry«. In the introductory part of the paper, apart from some general features of contract labor in forestry, all potential stakeholders of forestry entrepreneurship, their roles, tasks and relations are described. In addition, within the guidelines for good practice, different aspects and dimensions of forestry entrepreneurship with focus on human resources and working conditions have been addressed. Individual chapters address the issues of economic viability, competition, co-operation and organization of entrepreneurs, security and health, working time, technology, etc. Each issue is presented with a brief explanation and then the main principles, goals and potential consequences of good practice are laid out. Each question is also illustrated with a chosen example of the European or world forestry. The review, compiled based on appropriate behavior and practice in forestry entrepreneurship, is a kind of guide or model that provides guidelines and assistance in establishing good entrepreneurial practice. As such, it can be useful in forestry practice in improving various aspects of contractors’ business, i.e. in a comprehensive upgrading of forestry entrepreneurship and forest management in general.

The use of non-wood forest products could support development of rural areas and encourage organised picking, processing and development of new business activities, especially by small and medium entrepreneurs. Within the aim of business environment research for the development of non-wood forest products in Croatia, information about the business environment has been collected. Primary research about the processing of non-wood forest products has been conducted with the aim of determining the effect of business environment on entrepreneurship development. A questionnaire was used to collect data. A representative sample was made of business entities in the field of processing of non-wood forest products in Croatia. The response rate was 34.9 % (n = 22). Results show that the main processing products are mushrooms, medicinal, aromatic or spice herbs and other natural forest products.
According to the PEST(LE) analysis of (political, economical, sociological, technological, legal and ecological) business environment, respondents highlighted 4 factors of general business environment, which are relevant for the development of non-wood forest products. The most important factors are the economic environment (4.56), and political environment (3.94).

U glavnom gradu Bavarske, na prostoru Münchenskoga sajma (njem. Messe München), od 18. do 22. srpnja 2018. godine održan je 14. međunarodni sajam šumarske mehanizacije i opreme – INTERFORST 2018. Među više od 50 000 posjetitelja koji su pohodili ovogodišnju najveću izložbu šumarskih tehnologija bili su i hrvatski šumarski znanstvenici iz Zavoda za šumarske tehnike i tehnologije Šumarskoga fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. Na sajmu su izlagala 453 izlagača na 75 000 m² otvorenoga i zatvorenoga prostora. Najjači izložbeni dio sajma činila je šumska mehanizacija s potpuno opremljenim strojevima za mehaniziranu sječu i izradu (slika 1), zatim različiti strojevi za proizvodnju i transport sječke, a značajan se dio odnosio i na ergonomsko-sigurnosni aspekt pri ručno-strojnom postupku rušenja stabala…

U Madridu je od 24. do 27. rujna 2018. godine održano 51. međunarodno znanstveno savjetovanje udruženja FORMEC pod naslovom Improved Forest Mechanisation: Mobilizing natural resources and preventing wildfires u organizaciji Sveučilišta u Madridu, odnosno Zavoda za šumarske tehnike i tehnologije pod vodstvom profesora Eduarda Tolosane i profesora Rubéna Lainea. Svrha savjetovanja bilo je predstavljanje novih znanstvenih i operativnih spoznaja s glavnim težištem prema prevenciji šumskih požara u sredozemnim područjima, ali i druženje te razmjena iskustava, znanja i vještina među znanstvenicima, istraživačima i operativcima u prvom redu na području tehnika i tehnologija, ali i šumarstva općenito…

Od 13. do 15. rujna 2018. u Bosni i Hercegovini na Bjelašnici i Igmanu održano je 5. međunarodno savjetovanje »Šumsko inženjerstvo jugoistočne Europe – stanje i izazovi« u organizaciji Šumarskoga fakulteta Univerziteta u Sarajevu. Prvo takvo savjetovanje održano je u travnju 2014. godine na Nastavno-pokusnom šumskom objektu Zalesina u organizaciji Zavoda za šumarske tehnike i tehnologije Šumarskoga fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu…

Na temelju dosadašnje suradnje u znanstvenom i stručnom području s tvrtkom Gomark d.o.o iz Slovenije (Čeplje 52, SI-3305 Vransko) obavljena je primopredaja vrijednoga dara – cjepača za potrebe laboratorijskih ispitivanja čvrstih biogoriva. lovenska je tvrtka darovala cjepač 29. lipnja 2017. godine, a sudonatori bile su tvrtke G.T.P Šoštarić (Novaki Petrovinski 6a, HR, 10450 Jastrebarsko) i Tajfun Planina d.o.o (Planina pri Sevnici 41a, SL-3225 Planina pri Sevnici). Vrijednost donacije iznosi 500,20 EUR-a s PDV-om. Cjepač tipa 7 EL 230/3KV + križna sjekira S.N. DK 1234 služit će u prvom redu

Profesor dr. sc. Ante P. B. Krpan preminuo je nakon duge i teške bolesti 9. veljače 2018. u 76-oj godini života. Prof. dr. sc. Ante Paško Budimir Krpan osnovnu je i srednju školu završio u svom voljenom Kninu te je 1960. nastavio školovanje na Šumarskom fakultetu Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, gdje je diplomirao 1968. godine. Nakon toga slijedila je potraga za zaposlenjem te se 1969. godine zaposlio u Institutu za šumarska i lovna istraživanja u Zagrebu. U njem je radio nešto više od dvije godine, a od 1. rujna 1972. počeo je raditi na Šumarskom fakultetu u Zagrebu kao asistent na Katedri za iskorištavanje šuma. Otada počinje njegova bogata znanstveno-nastavna karijera koja traje sve do 30. rujna 2007. kada prvi put odlazi u mirovinu…

Tvrtka Hittner ima tridesetogodišnju tradiciju, a trenutačno je najveći proizvođač šumskih traktora –skidera u Europi. Dosad je proizvedeno više od 550 traktora i oni se nalaze u većini zemalja Europske unije. Dugi je niz godina tvrtka Hittner na popisu najboljih privatnih tvrtki u Republici Hrvatskoj te je kao dodatan bonus naporima u postizanju pozicije tržišnoga lidera i uzora po kvaliteti proizvoda već tri puta nagrađena »Zlatnom kunom« za iznimnu kvalitetu poslovanja te nagradom »Hrvatska gazela« za brze reakcije i adaptaciju tržišnim uvjetima, za naprednu poslovnu filozofiju, uporabu i primjenu novih znanja, tehnologija i za rast temeljen na inovacijama…