Individuals, populations and species of large carnivores need huge areas to survive. People and large carnivores often come into conflict due to damage to human property or direct physical danger to humans. In the modern world where the human footprint is almost omnipresent, conservation of large carnivores is therefore a formidable challenge in the preservation of biodiversity at the planetary scale. Conservation of large carnivores has traditionally been based on the “separation model” centred on the creation of large natural parks and reserves in which land use and human access is limited, in an attempt to separate animals from humans. Such a system of protection is for example commonplace and conceptually favoured in North America. But in many places, Europe included, it is simply not viable since “real wilderness” has already been lost and existing parks and reserves are so small they do not provide sufficient space, not even for a small number of animals. The survival of large carnivores in this part of the world is therefore possible only in coexistence with humans, a model where carnivores and humans share the same landscapes. Alas, examples of successful protection using such models have not been well documented, with the model therefore having few advocates in the ranks of conservationists. By analysing data on past and present population ranges and the number of brown bears (Ursus arctos), lynx (Lynx lynx), wolves (Canis lupus) and wolverines (Gulo gulo) in 26 European countries, we have shown that the coexistence model of conservation can be very successful. By the mid-20th century, large carnivores were almost extinct across much of Europe. Smaller populations survived only in the remotest areas and their prospects of long-term survival were poor. At present, however, there is at least one species of large carnivore living on a third of the area of continental Europe, and the majority of populations are stable or increasing. The study clearly demonstrates that large carnivores can live in forest landscapes in coexistence with moderate densities of humans. The main factors behind this successful return of large carnivores to Europe include efficient conservation legislation, favourable public opinion, and diverse local practices facilitating the coexistence of large carnivores and humans. This study emerged as a synthesis of long-term data from numerous research groups across Europe. The research group in Slovenia monitored large carnivores and their interactions with humans based on (i) periodic estimates of population size with a non-invasive genetic method, (ii) population density estimates derived from a combination of GPS telemetry and systematic monitoring at feeding sites, (iii) data from systematic monitoring of all types of bear mortality, (iv) registered damage and other forms of conflict with large carnivores, and (v) stochastic population dynamic models. The data used in the described study have also been published independently in numerous original scientific papers, which have additionally had an instrumental impact on large carnivore conservation management policy in Slovenia, neighbouring countries and beyond, many of which were created by consortia of international co-authors. Selected scientific articles on monitoring and management of large carnivores, and their interactions with humans, (co)authored by members of the research group Forest, Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources and published in the last five years: Reljic S. Jerina K. et al 2018 Challenges for transboundary management of a European brown bear population. Global ecology and conservation, ISSN 2351-9894. Van Eeden L. Krofel M. et al 2018 Carnivore conservation needs evidence-based livestock protection. PLoS biology 16(9): 1-8. Penteriani V. Krofel M. Jerina K. et al 2018 Evolutionary and ecological traps for brown bears Ursus arctos in human-modified landscapes. Mammal review 48: 180-193. Bautista C. Jerina K. et al 2017 Pattern
COBISS.SI-ID: 3996838
Disturbance plays a major role in the structure and function of forest ecosystems. In European forests, the amount of forest area affected by disturbance has been increasing over the past century, with recent trends linked to both climate and stand structure. However, these trends have largely been derived from the extensively managed forests across the continent, where management activities can override the influence of other important drivers. Disturbance histories from primary (unmanaged) forests across large scales are needed to assess the relative contribution and potential interaction of disturbance and climate in controlling forest dynamics. In the absence of forest management, climate is thought to control dynamics over large scales, while local disturbance history and stand structure are thought to operate at local scales. To assess the relative importance of regional versus local drivers of disturbance and forest dynamics, this study compiled multiple tree ring based disturbance histories from primary Picea abies (spruce) forests distributed throughout five European landscapes across the Bohemian Forest and the Carpathian Mountains. The dataset included 11,595 tree cores collected across 560 plots in 37 stands across a 1,000 km geographic gradient. The results were surprising. Region wide decadal rates of disturbance were not stable over the past few centuries. Disturbance rates were high across the entire region in the 19th century, but substantially declined after 1920. While there was evidence that higher rates of historical disturbance corresponded to Palmer drought severity, the contemporary increase in disturbance (mainly bark beetle outbreaks) across the study region was mainly the result of stand aging due to lower disturbance rates over the past century. These results suggest that increasingly common high-severity disturbances throughout Picea forests of Central Europe are not only a result of climate change, but also due to the legacy effects of past disturbances, which have resulted in widespread mature forests that are now susceptible to disturbance. This research was the culmination of a series of recent studies focused on disturbance regimes and forest dynamics across different parts of Europe, in which members of our department collaborated. They include studies in the Dinaric Mountain region (Nagel et al. 2010; Nagel et al. 2014; Nagel et al. 2016; Nagel, Mikac, et al. 2017), the Carpathians (Janda et al. 2017; Meigs et al. 2017; Janda et al. 2019) and the Alps (Kulakowski et al. 2017), as well as a meta analysis examining how climate change is altering forest disturbance regimes around the globe published in Nature Climate Change (Seidl et al. 2017). Finally, another related research theme examines the role of disturbance and forest structure in the context of forest management and biodiversity conservation (Nagel, Firm, et al. 2017; Kozak et al. 2018). Janda P. Nagel T.A. et al 2019. Drivers of basal area variation across primary late-successional Picea abies forests of the Carpathian Mountains. Forest Ecology and Management 435: 196–204. Janda P. Nagel T.A. et al 2017. The historical disturbance regime of mountain Norway spruce forests in the Western Carpathians and its influence on current forest structure and composition. Forest ecology and management 388: 67–78. Kozak D. Nagel T.A. et al 2018. Profile of tree-related microhabitats in European primary beech-dominated forests. Forest Ecology and Management 429: 363–374. Kulakowski D. Nagel T.A. 2017. A walk on the wild side: Disturbance dynamics and the conservation and management of European mountain forest ecosystems. Forest Ecology and Management 388: 120–131. Meigs G.W. Nagel T.A. et al 2017. More ways than one: Mixed-severity disturbance regimes foster structural complexity via multiple developmental pathways. Forest Ecology and Management 406: 410–426. Nagel T.A. Hladnik D. Rozenbergar D. et al 2017. Evaluating the influence of integrat
COBISS.SI-ID: 4999846
Urbanisation influences surrounding landscape processes, which are reflected by landscape structural patterns. Forest areas are often regarded as a spatial reserve for present and future urbanisation needs, while at the same time they often represent the last remnant of the natural environment. The latter is especially important in urban and suburban forests, which are of interest for the recreation and well-being of the urban population. Therefore, it was necessary to analyse this aspect in advance (Hladnik and Pirnat 2011, Verlič and Pirnat 2010, Verlič et al., 2015, Žižek and Pirnat 2011). In the present research we first analysed the change in forest cover in the suburban forests of Ljubljana between 1975 and 2012. Therefore, it was necessary to check the methodology for assessing changes in the coverage and spatial and temporal stability of forests in Slovenia (Pirnat and Kobler 2014) as well as past material and energy inputs (Pirnat and Hladnik 2009) as the contribution of forestry to ensuring the stability of forests. In the second step we analysed connectivity and conservation buffers as one of the foundations for the assessment of biodiversity functions. For the needs of the research, it was necessary to check various models and indicators (Pirnat 2015) for assessing the connectivity between forest patches. We found that between 1975 and 2012, all forests with important cores were subject to clearing for settlement and agricultural purposes, but clearing usually did not extend beyond forest edges. The real fragmentation occurred during the construction of the highway beltline. In the area of Ljubljana, connectivity changes and connectivity loss in two different time periods are presented by a spatial model based on the Graph Theory, which can also be used in spatial planning. Due to the high percentage of forest cover and favourable distribution of forest patches and cores around the city of Ljubljana, no connection is currently in danger; the weakest link extends from the centre of Ljubljana towards the southeast. Our research from the published article significantly contributed to further estimates of the delineation of agricultural landscapes (Firm and Pirnat 2017) and connectivity in agricultural (Polenšek and Pirnat 2018) and suburban landscapes (Pirnat and Hladnik 2018) as well as abroad (Machado et al. 2018). In the study we found that when evaluating biodiversity in (sub)urban forests, connectivity between the cores of forest patches should be added as an important indicator when evaluating the favourable conditions of different habitat types at the landscape level. The results of the research enable direct transfer to university teaching and forestry practice, and they can have a significant impact on spatial planning and legislation. Selected scientific papers on the topic of connectivity, forest patch conservation and land-use changes: Firm, D., Pirnat, J., 2017. Predlog metodologije za razmejevanje kmetijskih in primestnih krajin v Sloveniji ter prostorska določila za določanje gozdov s poudarjeno funkcijo ohranjanja biotske raznovrstnosti = Proposal of methodology for delineating agricultural and suburban landscapes and spatial regulations for determining forests with emphasized function of biodiversity conservation. Gozdarski vestnik 75 (5/6), 246-263. Hladnik, D., Pirnat, J., 2011. Urban forestry - linking naturalness and amenity = the case of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 10(2), 105-112. Machado, R., Godinho, S., Pirnat, J., Neves, N., Santos, P., 2018. Assessment of landscape composition and configuration via spatial metrics combination : conceptual framework proposal and method improvement. Landscape research 43(5), 652-664. Pirnat, J., 2015. Primerjava izbranih krajinsko-ekoloških kazalcev za gozdove v dveh različnih krajinskih tipih = Comparison of selected landscape ecological forest metrics in two different landscape types. Acta silvae et ligni 107, 25-34.
COBISS.SI-ID: 4402598
Natura 2000 is a European network of protected areas chosen by member states of the EU. The aim of the network is to ensure the long-term survival of Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats, listed under both the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive. According to the Habitats Directive, the reporting of the conservation status of forest habitats and habitat types is mandatory for member states of the EU. Hence, the harmonization of habitat assessment methods and reporting formats is a critical issue. So far, the EU Commission and member states have managed to design and issue reporting guidelines. However, as many of these reports are largely based on expert opinions, they tend to be biased and difficult to compare. To make conservation status assessments and reporting more consistent, our study evaluated a set of indicators with two decision support models (Kovac and Grošelj, 2018). The indicators were divided into three groups: spatial, structural and viability indicators. The first model is simpler and is based on a Slovenian DEX model that operates with linguistic statements. The second model integrates multi-criteria decision making and fuzzy logic with measured data input and expert judgments. Both models were tested with data from Slovenia's three largest forest habitat types, namely 9110 - Luzulo-Fagetum beech forests, 91K0 - Illyrian Fagus sylvatica forests (Aremonio-Fagion) and 91L0 - Illyrian oak-hornbeam forests (Erythronio-Carpinion). The DEX model generated equal (least favorable) conservation statuses for all forest habitat types. Conversely, the fuzzy logic model aimed to provide more divergent results. While the 91K0 and 91L0 forest habitat types were classified on a descending continuum of conservation status values, the 9110 forest habitat type was intermediate. The results matched the existing assessments. The presented models could have played a prominent role in making the reporting processes less biased. However, the fuzzy logic model is more sensitive in detecting differences between forest habitat type statuses. We developed a similar fuzzy logic model for analysis and evaluation of services in a manufacturing company (Oblak et al., 2017). Fuzzy sets that present the basis of the fuzzy logic model enable the uncertainty and vagueness of the data and evaluations to be incorporated in the models. Uncertainty should be taken into account when a group of stakeholders is included in a multi-criteria decision-making model (for example analytic hierarchy process) by aggregating individual judgments into group judgments. It is necessary that stakeholders are satisfied with the final evaluation. We developed several new consensus reaching models for aggregating individual number judgments (Grošelj, 2018), interval judgments (Grošelj and Zadnik Stirn, 2015; Grošelj and Zadnik Stirn, 2017a) or triangular fuzzy number judgments (Grošelj and Zadnik Stirn, 2017b) into group judgments. We evaluated and compared the new models to existing models (Grošelj et al., 2015) and adopted the evaluation measures for triangular fuzzy number judgments (Grošelj and Zadnik Stirn, 2018). The analytic hierarchy process and aggregation of stakeholder judgments into triangular fuzzy number judgments was used for ranking the scenarios that can contribute to the realization of “Vision Pohorje 2030” (Grošelj et al., 2016). Selected scientific articles on soft-logic-based multicriterial models and models using numerical values, soft sets or intervals for estimates: Grošelj, P., 2018. Consensus model in analytic hierarchy process. In: Živković, Ž. (Ed.), International May Conference on Strategic Management – IMCSM18. University of Belgrade, Technical Faculty in Bor, Department of Engineering Management, Bor, Serbia, pp. 24-35. Grošelj, P., Hodges, D.G., Zadnik Stirn, L., 2016. Participatory and multi-criteria analysis for forest (ecosystem) management: A case study of Pohorje, Slovenia. Forest Policy and Econo
COBISS.SI-ID: 5008294
In a series of publications, we present the results of national public opinion surveys on forests and their functions and analyze the influential factors of opinions. Based on national surveys we conducted several studies on the international scale. We tested the hypothesis of a non-monotone relationship between environmental concern and environmental protection by analyzing protected area (PA) coverage, environmental concern and GDP per capita in the 42 most developed countries in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Then, using a series of representative national public opinion surveys (n = 1000) and surveys of private forest owners in Slovenia and Europe (n = 400), we explained the role of human values and factors at the local level in attitudes toward forest. We also analyzed the 1) attitudes of the general population toward forests (Simončič and Bončina, 2018), and specifically toward the greater conservation of forests (Ficko and Bončina, 2019); 2) attitudes of private forest owners toward resource efficiency and the concept of appropriate forest management (Ficko and Bončina, 2015a); and 3) attitudes of private forest owners toward management at the individual property level and, by using an econometric Heckman model, their willingness to pay for having a private forest property plan (Ficko and Bončina, 2015b). The survey instrument developed in one of our studies (Ficko and Bončina, 2015a) was used in a European survey on private forest owners’ conceptualization of forest management (Feliciano et al., 2017). To the best of our knowledge, our study (Ficko and Bončina, 2019) is the first of its kind where georeferenced public opinion survey data have been linked to landscape and social variables and a spatially-explicit model of public attitudes has been developed. Systematic collection of publications on private forest owner attitudes to forests and their classifications resulted in a review paper on private forest owner (PFO) typologies in Europe (Ficko et al., 2019). In the review paper we analyzed PFO typologies from 28 European countries published from 1985 to 2015 in peer-reviewed journals and grey literature. We also compared conceptual frameworks for characterizing forest areas with high societal values in the EU to that of the Pacific Northwest of the USA (Simončič in sod., 2015). These studies quantified the diversity of the public with respect to attitudes toward the environment and showed that human values play a prominent role in human attitudes toward the environment. The general belief that ecosystems are fragile and there are limits to growth substantially increases support for conservation. A new theory, the Environmental Concern Kuznets Curve (ECKC) theory, which we developed assumes that the environment in the most developed countries is likely to experience increasing pressure due to the decoupling of environmental concern from objective problems. An important contribution of this series of papers to science is also a new approach for correcting for acquiescence, i.e. the systematic tendency to agree with survey items, which we developed with the use of Monte Carlo data generation techniques and a series of structural equation models (Ficko and Bončina, 2014). In studying the diversity of human attitudes toward forest, we pioneered probabilistic clustering, which accounts for the fact that a forest owner may have more than one significant management attitude or fall between different attitudes. In this approach the probabilities for distinct management behaviors are calculated to better take into account the multi-objectiveness of private forest owners (Ficko and Bončina, 2013). Selected scientific papers on the topic: Feliciano D. Ficko A. et al 2017 Understanding private forest owners' conceptualisation of forest management: Evidence from a survey in seven European countries. Journal of Rural Studies 54, 162-176. Ficko A. Boncina A. 2013 Probabilistic typology of management decision making in private
COBISS.SI-ID: 5248678
We developed a novel approach to modelling the alteration of natural tree species composition of forest vegetation at different spatial scales. The alteration of natural tree species composition (or naturalness) can be an input into predictive models of forest dynamics. Anthropogenically altered forests that are far from their natural state are likely to follow a developmental trajectory that differs from that of well-preserved forests. Alteration was defined as the deviation of the current tree species composition from that of the natural state. It can be used as a measure of the human influence on forest vegetation, and thus as an indicator of the naturalness of forest vegetation. We developed a standard procedure for estimating the alteration of natural tree species composition based on the Robič Index of Dissimilarity (RID), explained factors driving alteration and examined the significance of tree species composition alteration for the susceptibility of forest stands to natural disturbances. Alteration is primarily the result of forest management and past land use, conditioned either by topography or the accessibility of forests. A greater degree of alteration appeared on slopes of intermediate and south facing aspects than on north facing slopes, and in areas that were closer to the forest edge. A higher level of alteration significantly increases the susceptibility of forest stands to natural disturbances. The covariate forest naturalness fosters an understanding of the patterns of tree species composition under the influence of human activity and natural disturbances and significantly improves the predictive capacity of forest models. In several papers we presented applications of forest stand dynamics models and described projections of forest development at different levels of forest naturalness and developmental problems. Modelling forest development is crucial for adequate adaptation of forest management in a continuously changing environment. Thus, further development of this area of research is of utmost importance for Slovenia, since, apart from some partial models for single components of forest ecosystems, no forest development models were developed until some years ago (Ficko et al., 2016; Roessiger et al., 2016). We started to develop this area of research with the national project V4-1821, which was a review and evaluation of forest development models for forest management planning at different spatial scales. In 2016 we developed matrix population models for three types of mixed uneven-aged forests in Slovenia to study the population dynamics of silver fir under different forest management regimes (Ficko et al., 2016) based on a previously developed growth-sensitive model that schedules optimal harvests (Roessiger et al., 2016). The same model and optimization technique was used to optimize silviculture in three types of mixed uneven-aged forests to increase the recruitment of browse-sensitive tree species in the next 100 years without intervening in the ungulate population (Ficko et al., 2018). The ForClim forest dynamic gap model was used to predict future tree species composition under different forest and large herbivore management and climate change in the next 100 years (Klopčič et al., 2017; Mina et al., 2017) as well as to project the future provisioning of ecosystem services in European mountain ranges (Mina et al., 2018). In addition, some stand dynamics model applications were reported in other publications. Country-wide forest development was studied with the EFISCEN large-scale forest development simulator (Klopčič, 2017). The MOSES empirical individual tree-model was also applied to cover forest development of mixed forest and published in an MSc thesis (Hudernik, 2016). Some partial results of the application of forest development models or the processing of input data for those models were presented at scientific conferences (e.g. Klopčič, 2015; Bončina, 2017; Klopčič et al., 2018) or in s
COBISS.SI-ID: 4703398
In 2009 the European Parliament and the Council Directive published the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC, which aims to establish a unified framework to support renewable energy sources. EU member states have made a commitment to achieve the set national goals or at least a 20% share of renewable energy sources in their final energy consumption. Within this 20%, forest biomass represents an important share. In order to holistically analyse the complex political decision-making regarding the production and use of forest biomass for energy purposes, one needs to study the real operational environment and employ participative approaches. During the COOL project (2012-2016), we devoted some time to develop a methodological tool – a three-phase decision-making framework for analysing the operational environment of strategies. We contextualised the developed framework based on increasing goals of national and international policies for production and use of forest biomass for energy purposes. The developed framework is based on SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and the Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART). In the above-mentioned article, we evaluated the operational environment factors in relation to the increased production and use of forest biomass for energy purposes. The analysis encompassed four European states, namely Finland, Germany, Norway and Slovenia. Stakeholders from the four case countries defined the factors that affect the operational environments, which were classified into four pre-set categories (Forest Characteristics and Management, Policy Framework, Technology and Science, and Consumers and Society). Afterwards, the stakeholders participated in weighting of the SWOT items with the SMART technique for two future scenarios. The first scenario reflected the current 2020 targets (the Business-as-Usual Scenario), and the second scenario contained a further increase in the targets (the Increase Scenario). The developed multi-criteria framework can be applied to various problems of environmental management and also to other fields where public decision-making is combined with stakeholder engagement. The enquiry into the operational environment of production and use of forest wood biomass for energy purposes also gave insights into stakeholder perceptions on the production and use of biomass (Peters et al., 2015; Leban et al., 2015). Interviewees from the five analysed countries – Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovenia and Spain – recognised similar trade-offs and synergies. The most important synergies are related to occupation and job provision, while the interviewees were inclined to perceive a huge trade-off between the production and use of forest wood biomass for energy sources and the conservation of biodiversity (Peters et al., 2015). In Slovenia the multi-functionality principle is important for the interviewees, who also support the idea that using forests to produce wood biomass for energy purposes should not be prioritised as the main forest management goal. In this process, the active support of government – with a suitable policy instrument mix, particularly with respect to financial instruments – is strongly supported (Leban et al. 2015). Krč et al. (2016) published an article analysing the development of forest biomass as an element of the power supply in Slovenia from 1996 till 2016. The authors conclude that biomass development is not possible without financial investments in activities to increase the quality and capacity of local wood market. Slovenia has thus been exporting the vast majority of wood by-products that originate from primary wood processing, and consequently expanding their renewable energy balances. Likewise, Rhodius et al. (2015, 2016) generalised to all five analysed countries with the addition that in order to achieve the ambitious EU 2020 targets regarding climate and energy, we will primarily have to generate and maintain sufficient
COBISS.SI-ID: 4393638
The increasing share of forests that are damaged due to natural disturbances potentially increases the risk of accident when cutting the affected forests. The main goal of the study was to analyze the odds of accident by type and cause of cutting. The study was based on 316 accidents among professional fellers during cutting in Slovenian state forests over a 7-year period. The two most rational binary logistic models were selected by using Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC). The research results indicated that the odds of accident increase with the slope of the terrain and total volume of felled trees. Contrary to expectations, the odds of accident are highest during the cutting of individual healthy and undamaged trees, lower in deforestation activities due to urbanization and infrastructure requirements, which is similar to clearcutting, and lowest during the cutting of trees damaged by biotic and abiotic factors. With respect to individual causes of accidents, cutting trees damaged by insects, fire and emissions is the least dangerous, while cutting trees damaged by glaze ice and snow is the most dangerous. The results indicate that, in addition to natural factors, the likelihood of cutting-related accidents also depends on the time of exposure to hazards, type of harvesting and tree characteristics. On the basis of the results, it is concluded that measures to reduce the likelihood of professional fellers must be particularly focused on routine tasks and on adjusting the work pace and techniques to the working conditions. Despite the increased frequency of natural disturbances resulting in salvage and sanitation cutting (Schelhaas et al., 2003; Seidl et al., 2014), selection cutting, as an integral part of sustainable forest management, remains a routine daily task for the feller. Routine work, which has also been cited as having the highest rate of accidents in some other studies (Hansen et al., 2002), along with underestimating the dangers (Salminen et al., 1999), increase work pace and consequently the likelihood of accident. Thus, employers must take action to encourage a moderate work pace with the purpose of reducing the psycho-physical workload (Poje, 2011) and exposure to noise and vibration (Gerasimov and Sokolov, 2014), which have a decisive impact on the perception of risk as well as on worker behavior (Rundmo, 1996). A major break, along with frequent short breaks and micro breaks, are important for constant physical regeneration and play a decisive role in reducing work pace and psycho-physical workload (Lilley et al., 2002; Tucker, 2003; Arlinghaus et al., 2012). Despite its negative environmental impacts (Wästerlund, 1998; Vasiliauskas, 2001), mechanized harvesting, e.g. using fellerbunchers (Bell, 2002) or harvesters (Salminen et al., 1999), reduces the risk of accident (ILO, 1991; Axelsson, 1998). However, it should be noted that a change in technology may increase risks in other tasks (Khanzode et al., 2012), e.g. maintenance services (Väyrynen, 1982), and operator exposure to repetitive motion injuries (Axelsson and Pontén, 1990). To improve recommendations for accident prevention, further research on the factors influencing health and safety during forest work is essential. In general, studies should focus on new hazards connected to climate and technological and ownership changes, as well as on specific groups such as small private owners or different forest management systems. For the successful implementation of further studies, it is necessary to upgrade the existing case-study reporting system with an extension of the ESAW for different sectors or with a special reporting system for small forest owners. Selected scientific papers on the topic of accidents among forest workers: Marenče, J., Mihelič, M., Poje, A. Influence of chain filing, tree species and chain type on cross cutting efficiency and health risk. Forests, 464, 10 pp. Poje, A., Potočnik, I., Mihelič, M. Comparison of electric and p
COBISS.SI-ID: 4432038
Forest managers are often required to restore forest stands following natural disturbances, a situation that may become more common and more challenging under global change. In parts of Central Europe, the use of relatively low intensity, uneven-aged silviculture is a common practice. Because this type of management is based on mimicking less intense disturbances, the restoration of more severe disturbance patches has received little attention. In a series of papers in high-ranking scientific journals, we synthesized research on the restoration of forests damaged by disturbances in Slovenia and neighbouring regions, where uneven-aged silviculture is practiced. Firstly, we analysed forest restoration following different types of natural and anthropogenic disturbances: bark-beetle outbreaks (e.g. Rozman et al. 2015, de Groot et al. 2019), windthrows (e.g. Fidej et al. 2016, Fidej et al. 2018), ice-storm damage (e.g. Nagel et al. 2016, Čater et al. 2017), air pollution (e.g. Diaci et al. 2011), fire (e.g. Kolmanič et al. 2014) and overbrowsing (e.g. Nagel et al. 2015). We then comparatively analysed natural forest restoration processes and the efficiency of existing silvicultural practices for forest restoration and suggested improvements and amendments for future post-disturbance forest restoration. A synthesis of this long-term research was published in a review article (Diaci et al. 2017). Research indicated that active management aimed at favouring mixed uneven-aged forest reduces the risk of disturbance and improves the resilience of stands. Salvage logging may have positive or negative effects on regeneration, much of which is due to the method applied and the quality of work. The most prominent factors negatively affecting restoration were lack of advanced regeneration and decomposed woody debris, high altitude, steep slopes, dense ground vegetation and overbrowsing. Our studies indicated a high density and species diversity of naturally regenerated seedlings, which was reduced by repeated mowing of competing vegetation. Thus, more attention should be paid to the lifelong learning of forest workers. The diverse conditions in the post-disturbance forest areas suggested that careful adaptation of the forest restoration practices for each individual case is needed. Planting or sowing should be applied in post-disturbance forests where many negative factors interact and where a high demand for forest ecosystem services is present. The economic budget directed towards planting could alternatively be allocated to tending of selected dominant trees of natural regeneration. The results indicated that spruce planting was successful and comparable to the results from neighbouring countries, while the survival of deciduous trees was poor. Thus, it is necessary to improve the entire system of forest reproductive material production. In all types of disturbed forest stands, we established permanent research plots, which enable continuous monitoring of restoration success as well as on-site training of students, forest practitioners, forest workers and forest owners. Professional papers on the topic were presented at several national conferences and in professional journals (e.g. Rugani et al. 2013, Roženbergar et al. 2017). In May 2015 we organized a two-day workshop with a focus on forest management and silvicultural measures after large-scale disturbances. On the first day, indoor and outdoor presentations on Rožnik were organized. German colleagues presented their experiences with windthrow restoration. On the following day, we visited the Sevnica region, where local foresters of the Slovenian Forest Service presented practical examples. http://eprints.gozdis.si/1256/2/ZBORNIK_delavnica_pogled_%C5%BEled.pdf. The results of the research are presented in a form that enables direct transfer to the university teaching process and forestry practice. The results will have a significant impact on forestry policy and legislation. Select
COBISS.SI-ID: 4914598
We assessed dendrobiotic and saproxylic insects, vectors of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (PNW), at three locations in stands of Pinus nigra, P. halepensis and P. sylvestris in Slovenia. PWN is the most damaging forest pest, causing massive mortality of pine trees in Asia and Portugal. Our samples were collected from May to November using four cross vane funnel traps per location with wet collecting cups and attractants. We used ethanol+?-pinene, ethanol+?-pinene, Pheroprax® and Gallowit®. We collected 31,228 individuals from 45 beetle families. Curculinidae were the most numerous, and the target family Cerambycidae was represented with 1945 specimens from 28 taxa and 25 species. Spondylis buprestoides more effectively attracted S. buprestoides and Arhopalus rusticus, whereas Monochamus was by far the most abundant species. In some years ethanol+?-pinene M. galloprovincialis showed a clear preference for Gallowit®. Galloprotect 2D® attracted significantly more cerambycides than ethanol+ ?-pinene, and M. galloprovincialis was by far the most numerous species. In addition to cerambycids, other saproxylic beetle species and also scolytine predators were found in the traps, highlighting the need to consider the potential negative impacts of the long-term monitoring of PWN vectors on species with important functional-trophic traits in forests (Jurc et al. 2016). We investigated the prevalence and biology of pinewood nematode vectors (genus Monochamus) and the potential influence of the pine wood nematode to conifers in case of possible entry into Slovenia (e.g. Jurc et al. 2012a, 2013, 2017, Pavlin et al. 2012, 2015, 2016, Ogris et al. 2013). The pine wood nematode is native to North America (Canada, US). It is thought to have been carried with logs to Japan, where it has become the most damaging forest pest, causing massive mortality of native pine trees (P. densiflora, P. thunbergii). It has also spread to China, Korea, Portugal and Taiwan. More recently, it has also killed pines in the USA, but only exotic species, such as P. sylvestris, in the warmer southern areas of the country. In 1999 B. xylophilus was detected on P. pinaster in continental Portugal, and in 2009 it was found on the island of Madeira. Numerous studies confirm that species from the genus Pinus are the most susceptible host trees. In Slovenia, pines have important economic and ecological values; thus, the health condition of pines is important. Pinus species in Slovenia are the hosts of two confirmed (M. galloprovincialis, M. saltuarius) and two potential (M. sartor, M. sutor) vectors of PWN, and thus may pose an even greater threat in Slovenia than in other European countries (Jurc et al., 2008, 2009, 2012a, 2012b, Podlesnik / Jurc 2010, Metrec et al., 2015, Bandano et al., 2015, Zaponi et al., 2016). We organized an international conference on the subject of saproxilic organisms - 6th European symposium and workshop on the conservation of saproxylic beetles, June 15-17, 2010, Ljubljana (Jurc, 2010) and published the conference proceedings (Jurc, 2012). The topic of invasive alien organisms was discussed at the XXXIII. Forestry Study Days, Ljubljana, 14.-15. April 2016 (Jurc / Jurc 2011, Jurc, 2016, Pavlin et al. 2016), and we prepared the project report EUPHRESCO: Focusing on Monochamus spp., insect vectors of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. https://www.researchgate.net/project/Focusing-on-Monochamus-spp-insect-vectors-of-Bursaphelenchus-xylophilus-MONOCHAMUS-2013-2016. Selected scientific contributions on the topic of forest harmful domestic / non-native organisms, saproxylic insects: Jurc M. et al. 2009 Xylophagous entomofauna in branches of oaks and its significance for oak health in the Karst region of Slovenia. Biologia 64: 130-138. Jurc M. (ur.), 2010 6th European symposium and workshop on conservation of saproxylic beetles, June 15-17, 2010, Ljubljana : program and abstracts. Ljubljana, 54 s. Jurc M. et al 2010 Species dynamics and colonization patterns
COBISS.SI-ID: 4367014