State Forests (Poland)
Encyclopedia
State Forests is a Polish governmental organization that manages state-owned Polish forests on behalf of the Polish State Treasury. The organization does not have a legal personality
and is required to be financially self-sufficient.
The Act on Forests of 28 September 1991, with amendments, makes the State Forests responsible for "forest management to ensure general protection of forests, sustainable
maintenance, continuity and sustainable use of all forest functions and increase of forest resources".
It was founded in 1924 and oversees about 7.5 million hectare
s (an area that constitutes about 25% of Poland's territory) of forested terrain. The territory managed by the State Forests covers about 77.8% of Polish forests. Notably, State Forests do not manage Poland's National Parks. They are however involved in managing of forests in Landscape Parks (which cover about 8% of Poland's territory).
As of 2008, the fixed assets owned by State Forests were worth PLN 3,659.3 million.
Over 70% of trees administered by State Forests are pine
and larch
. The average age of the trees is around 60 years.
Since 2008, the Director General is Marian Pigan.
The 17 Regional Directorates are:
In 2008, State Forests employed 26,054 people.
Legal personality
Legal personality is the characteristic of a non-human entity regarded by law to have the status of a person....
and is required to be financially self-sufficient.
The Act on Forests of 28 September 1991, with amendments, makes the State Forests responsible for "forest management to ensure general protection of forests, sustainable
maintenance, continuity and sustainable use of all forest functions and increase of forest resources".
It was founded in 1924 and oversees about 7.5 million hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s (an area that constitutes about 25% of Poland's territory) of forested terrain. The territory managed by the State Forests covers about 77.8% of Polish forests. Notably, State Forests do not manage Poland's National Parks. They are however involved in managing of forests in Landscape Parks (which cover about 8% of Poland's territory).
As of 2008, the fixed assets owned by State Forests were worth PLN 3,659.3 million.
Managed forests
As of 31 December 2008, State Forests managed 7,595,372 hectares. These were classified as:- forests, total 7,264,353 ha, including: afforested land 6,972,731 ha, non-afforested land 91,714 ha
- farmland 153,261 ha
- wasteland 102,742 ha
- waters 9,392 ha
- trees and shrubs outside forest 13,118 ha
Over 70% of trees administered by State Forests are pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
and larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
. The average age of the trees is around 60 years.
Organization
State Forests is headed by the Director General.. The General Directorate supervises 17 Regional Directorates, which in turn are divided into 431 Forest Districts. There are also 22 organisational units (departments), seven organisational units – departments with national authority, nine Forest Protection Teams and eleven Inspection Regions.Since 2008, the Director General is Marian Pigan.
The 17 Regional Directorates are:
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Białystok
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Gdańsk
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Katowice
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Kraków
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Krosno
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Lublin
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Łódź
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Olsztyn
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Piła
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Poznań
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Radom
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Szczecin
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Szczecinek
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Toruń
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Warsaw
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Wrocław
- Regional Directorate of State Forests in Zielona Góra
In 2008, State Forests employed 26,054 people.
See also
- List of national parks of Poland
- List of Landscape Parks of Poland
- List of nature reserve of Poland
- ordynacja
External links
- State Forests National Forest Holding (homepage, English version)
- The Act on Forests of September 28th 1991 (Consolidated text)