Week of Slovene forests

When removing the consequences of the ever more frequent natural disasters, it is extremely important that forestry science and forest owners jointly cooperate and also wisely plan the regeneration and tending of forests. This is the aim of the activities held within the Week of Slovene Forests that will take place in Slovenia between 25 and 31 May 2015. In February 2014 the ice storm in Slovenia damaged as much as 51% of all forest areas in Slovenia. In total about 6 million m³ of wood were removed, i.e. over 2.4 million m³ (62%) more than in 2013 (3.9 million m³).

The ice storm in February 2014 caused the movement of wood prices on the market

Removal of the consequences of the ice storm in forests had an impact on the wood market; due to increased supply, the monthly purchase prices of wood decreased. In March 2014 the purchase price of fuel wood decreased the most, by almost 14%, to EUR 39 per m³. The purchase price of sawlogs (in March EUR 68 EUR per m³) was 4% lower than in February 2014 and the purchase price of other industrial roundwood was 9% lower (in March 2014 EUR 40 per m³). The price of pulpwood remained almost the same as in the previous month (in March EUR 35 per m³). After some variation of prices the wood market stabilised in autumn 2014 and the purchase prices again started to rise.

Forests  - Slovenia’s green trump card: they store emissions and help create jobs

Among its neighbouring countries Slovenia, one of the most forested countries, has the largest forest area per person (about 0.6 hectares). The forests are also the most important natural storage (source of sinks) of CO₂ emissions. On average one hectare of forest in Slovenia accumulates 9 tons of CO₂ from the wood mass above and below the surface. In 2012 the CO₂ emissions including sinks stood at 11,300 gigagrams or 4% less than in 2011 (11,764 gigagrams); in the 2008-2012 period CO₂ emissions including sinks decreased on average by 27% per year.

In 2013, 65% of potential felling was realized. If another 2 million m³ of wood had been removed, i.e. the quantity up to 100% removal, there would have been a raw material basis for potentially about 13,200 new jobs in activities pertaining to forest resources, as 157 m³ of removed wood represents the raw material for creating one new job.

Domestic production of fuelwood and consumption of wood fuel in households on the rise

The forests are also the most important source of wood biomass for energy. According to the Slovenia Forest Service data, the sustainable potential of wood biomass for energy use from forests amounts to 1.4 million m³ per year. In 2013 over 1 million m³ of fuelwood, which is used together with other wood of more inferior quality, was produced in Slovenia, i.e. about 0.6 m³ per person. Increasing the tree felling intensity would also increase the quantities of the removed wood that is adequate for energy use.

Availability and price competitiveness increase the importance of wood as an energy source. According to the statistical data, in 2013 households in Slovenia used 1.3 million tons of wood fuel of national or foreign origin (wood fuel, wood chips, wood pellets, wood briquettes and wood waste). Of these the majority (97%) were wood fuel and wood waste (2%). Over the 2009-2013 period the total consumption of wood fuel in households increased by 11% (in 2009 it stood at 1.2 million tons).

190,000 tons of wood waste used for energy purposes

In the 2009-2013 period the quantity of wood waste was decreasing; about 350,000 tons were generated in 2013. Of all wood waste in the last five-year period, the share of wood waste used for energy purposes stood at around 50% (53% or 190,000 tons in 2013) or 230,000 tons per year.


Infographic 1: Statistical data for Slovenia