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22% of the total forest area is FSC-certified
Total forest area in Slovenia amounts to 1,18 million hectares (M ha). Out of this, forests (high and coppice) cover 0,9 M ha (i.e. 73%), while shrubbery and other forest areas cover the remaining 0,3 M ha (i.e. 27%).
0,26 M ha of various forest types in Slovenia are FSC-certified, ensuring and demonstrating responsible forest management, according to the 10 FSC principles.
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FSC-certified forests are responsibly managed by the state and private companies
Forest ownership and management responsibilities in Slovenia are distributed between the state (21%), municipalities (3%) and private forest owners (76%). Slovenia is the only country in the Adria-Balkan Region with municipality-owned forests. Most of the state-owned forests and a part of private forests in Slovenia are FSC-certified.
A public forest management company Slovenski državni gozdovi d.o.o. is in charge of state-owned FSC-certified forests and is also managing the group forest management certificate for the private forest owners.
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12% of certified forest area are high conservation value forests
High conservation values (HCV) are biological, ecological, social or cultural values of outstanding significance found in forests. FSC requires that the forest managers maintain and/or enhance the HCVs in their forests through applying the precautionary approach.
Slovenia is among the regions with above-average biodiversity. More than 1% of all known species of all living organisms and more than 2% of all terrestrial species live in Slovenia. Such a large number in such a small area ranks the country among the naturally richest areas of Europe and even of the world.
Some of many HCVs in the forests of Slovenia include:
- forest reserves
- ecocells without activities
- protected forests
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Watch the video about the forests and forestry in Slovenia
Have a watch of this presentation film on forests and forestry in Slovenia, which was created in the project of generic promotion of forests and forestry of the Forest Fund at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia for the needs of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
© Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia, 2021
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Over 350 companies produce or sell FSC-certified products
There is over 350 companies from Slovenia that are FSC-certified. This means that they source forest materials from the FSC-certified forests and other controlled sources, thus ensuring responsible forest management and use of forest materials. Secondary processors and companies that primarily trade with FSC-certified products each make roughly a third of all FSC-certified companies in Slovenia.
Look for the FSC-certified companies from Slovenia here.
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Solid wood is the most common FSC-certified product in Slovenia
Solid wood is a term often used to distinguish between ordinary lumber and engineered wood. While solid wood is the same all the way through, engineered wood products are manufactured by binding together wood strands, fibres, or veneers with adhesives to form a composite material.
Considering a variety of forest-based materials, 5 out of 10 FSC-certified companies from Slovenia process or sell solid wood (sawn, chipped, peeled), followed by 4 out of 10 FSC-certified companies processing or selling rough wood or wood in chips or particles.