Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) encompasses 51 percent of the total area of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is divided into 10 cantons, each governed by its cantonal government under FBiH law. FBiH consists of 79 municipalities.
Forests and forest land in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina cover an area of approximately 1,533,572 hectares, of which 1.256.442 hectares, or 82% are state-owned, and around 277,130 hectares, or 18% are privately owned or owned by other legal entities. Besides ownership, forests are classified based on their purpose of use, distinguishing between commercial forests, protective forests, and forests with special purposes. The fundamental principles of forestry in the Federation of BiH include sustainable management, preservation of the natural structure and diversity of forests, and the ongoing enhancement of stability in both economic and general ecological terms.
Forestry in the Federation of BiH is governed by forestry management plans developed for a ten-year period. State-owned forests continuously prepare these plans for all forestry management areas, excluding those in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. Private forests require forestry management plans prepared by cantonal ministries of forestry and forestry administrations. These plans ensure the principles of sustainable forest management and guide all activities at the forestry management area level.
The breakdown of forest and forest land areas in the Federation of BiH reveals a variety of vegetation forms, from high forests with natural regeneration to overgrown unproductive areas and productive clear-cut areas. Approximately 45% or 568,673 ha of the area consists of high forests, while coppice forest land accounts for around 21% of the total forest area or around 263,455 ha, while approximately 10% or 124.773 ha of forests and forest land is considered mined. The rest of the area is bare land.
The total timber stock in state-owned forests in the Federation of BiH amounts to 182,660,659 m3 and includes both coniferous and deciduous trees. High forests with natural regeneration represent a significant portion of this stock, constituting a vital component of the overall forest resources.
These are crucial data regarding the state of forests in the Federation of BiH, with particular emphasis on challenges related to mined areas and the need for sustainable management to preserve forest resources.
There is one National Park in FBiH “Una” that covers 19,800 ha with 64% forest cover.
In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), the authority for forest management is decentralized to the cantonal governments. Each canton is tasked with overseeing and managing the forest resources within its administrative boundaries. At the FBiH level, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management, and Forestry (MAWMF) includes the Forestry Department.
Key stakeholders within the MAWMF are:
- FBiH Forest Office (FFO):
- Responsibilities include forest silviculture and protection, forest utilization, subsidies, and support payments for forestry.
- It oversees the development and monitoring of processes in forestry, with a comprehensive monitoring role regarding activities in the forest sector.
- FBiH Forest Inspection (FFI):
- Ensures overall inspection services to safeguard the implementation of actions specified in the Law on Forests within FBiH.
- In the absence of an adopted law, the FFI operates under the Law on Inspection.
At the cantonal level, the MAWMF of FBiH is responsible, with exceptions for Sarajevo Canton, Zapadno-Hercegovački Canton, and Bosansko-Podrinjski Canton, falling under the responsibility of different ministries. Additional crucial bodies at the cantonal level include:
- Cantonal Forest Office (CFO):
- Controls the activities of cantonal forest management companies (CFMC) and offers advice and support to private forest owners.
- Prepares forest management plans (FMP) for all private owners and plays a crucial role in safeguarding and protecting forest resources, including preventing illegal activities.
- Cantonal Forest Inspection (CFI):
- A part of the Cantonal Inspection Service, with responsibilities similar to those of the FBiH Forest Inspection.
This decentralized structure ensures effective forest management, with specific bodies at both the FBiH and cantonal levels overseeing various aspects of forestry activities, from planning and monitoring to protection and inspection.