Serbia
According to The National Forest Inventory of the Republic of Serbia, total forest area amounts to 2,6 million ha (M ha), out of which forests (high and coppice) make 2,3 M ha (i.e. 85%) while other wooded land covers the rest. Forest ownership and management responsibilities in Serbia are equally distributed between the state (53%) and private forest owners (47%). 100% of the certified forest area in Serbia is state-owned and managed, and indeed, most of the state-owned forests are FSC-certified. Read more here.
Nearly 1 million ha of various forest types in Serbia is already FSC-certified, ensuring and demonstrating responsible forest management, according to the 10 FSC principles.
The process for developing the new interim forest management standard for Serbia included consultations with various stakeholders and reaching a consensus with social, environmental, and economic interests. A final onsite workshop was conducted to organise open discussion on key changes and raise awareness in interested parties on this process. The new FM standard will be an opportunity to certify a variety of ownership categories - monastery and church forests, communal (municipal) forests, forests managed by water management and agricultural organisations, since the new standard for Serbia applies to all categories of management units including small or low intensity managed forests . It also sets out ways in which organisations and forest owners can collaborate with communities and other stakeholders.
The standard will become effective on 01 September 2023.
Slovenia
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%). 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. Read more about it here.
0,26 M ha of various forest types in Slovenia are already FSC-certified, ensuring and demonstrating responsible forest management, according to the 10 FSC principles.
In the process for developing the IFSS for Slovenia included consultations with various stakeholders, reaching a consensus with social, environmental, and economic interests. An additional public consultation of the HCV Framework was conducted to raise awareness in interested parties on this process, and to organize open discussion on key changes. Relevant comments were incorporated into HCV Framework draft, and one representative of environmental interests said: "It is the first time that the protection of sacred natural sites in Slovenia is mentioned in this kind of document."
The standard becomes effective on 01 October 2023.