Private forestry in agricultural enterprises

Andrásevits, Zoltán – Schiberna, Endre

The targets for forest plantation in the new National Forests Strategy depend fundamentally on the decisions of private landowners, because new forests can only be planted on private land presently classed for agricultural cultivation. Our investigations has shown that relatively many farmers in Western Dunántúl (Trans-Danubia) who already posses forests would be prepared to plant new forests on poor arable and grazing land in addition to plant cultivation and animal husbandry. Their final decision for going ahead depends on the extent of support. Farmers expect to receive in addition to the normative support for costs of plantation the usual European Union support, which compensates for the income from forested land lost for decades. As plantations of indigenous species are far more sensitive to damages by wild animals, their occurrence in the targeted proportion can only be increased if the large costs of damage control are carried on being listed for differential target support. A carefully considered construction of support system plays an increasingly important role; it is almost the last resort in these days for achieving the targets of Forestry Strategy.

The forestation of poor arable and grazing land inevitably brings forward the problems of coupling agriculture and forestry activities within one enterprise. According to our studies due to changes in the technology of forest plantation and cultivation and the use special machinery, the balancing effects of seasonal work in plant cultivation and forestry hardly apply in these days. Further studies would be required to explore the scope for better utilization of human resources and enhancement of income in modern nature friendly forestry (for example, special forestry practices, leasing, village tourism, etc.).

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