forest practices in kosovo, haki kola

8/13/2019 Forest Practices in Kosovo, Haki Kola

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Study and Analysis of

Innovative Financingfor Sustainable Forest

Management in the

Southwest Balkan

Forest Management Practices

Supporting Wood Biomass

Production

Financed by: WB PROFORContract no: 7160594


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Study and Analysis of Innovative

Financing for Sustainable Forest

Management in the Southwest BalkanForest Management Practices

Supporting Wood Biomass Production

Authors:

Haki Kola, CNVP

Date prepared:

2013

Financed by: WB PROFOR


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Study and Analysis of Innovative Financing

for Sustainable Forest Management in the

Southwest Balkan

PROFOR is a multi-donor trust fund program housed at the World Bank within the Environmentallyand Socially Sustainable Development (ESSD) Forests Team. PROFOR is funded by the Departmentfor International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, the Finnish Department forInternational Development Cooperation, the Japanese International Forestry Cooperation Office,Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC). The German Government is an in-kind contributor. Initiallyestablished in 1997 at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), PROFOR relocated tothe World Bank in 2002. PROFORs objectives are consistent with those of the World Banks ForestStrategy and Policy (approved in October 2002), and PROFOR collaborates closely with the Bankin implementing the Strategy, which is built on three pillars: harnessing the potential of forests toreduce poverty; integrating forests in sustainable economic development; and protecting globalforest values. A Management Board comprised of representatives from donor agencies, client

countries, international organizations, NGOs and the private sector provides strategic guidance toPROFOR and determines what activities are included in the PROFOR portfolio. The ManagementBoard holds one formal meeting each year, maintaining an active role through correspondenceand informal meetings in the interim.(www.profor.info)

About PROFOR

The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily represent the views of the WorldBank or PROFOR or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee theaccuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for anyconsequence of their use. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shownon any map in this volume do not imply on the part of the World Bank Group any judgment on thelegal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.

Disclaimer

This project is financed by: WB - PROFOR
http://www.profor.info/http://www.profor.info/


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Forest Management PracticesSupporting Wood Biomass Production

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Table of Contents:

Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 11. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 22. General Forest Situation Kosovo .................................................................................................... 43. Coppice Forest Management .......................................................................................................... 6

3.1 Overview on coppice forests .................................................................................................. 63.2 Situation in coppice forest according to the ownership .............................................. 73.3 Methodology approach ........................................................................................................... 9

3.4 Desk study ..................................................................................................................................... 93.5 Second phase .............................................................................................................................13

4. Beech forest pre-commercial thinning ......................................................................................264.1 Situation and problem with young Beech forests ........................................................264.2 Proposed measure and practice ..........................................................................................274.3 Wood production biomass production .........................................................................274.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................28

5. Agroforestry practices .....................................................................................................................295.1 Situation and problems on agroforestry ..........................................................................295.2 Current use and practice ........................................................................................................29

5.3 Wood production biomass production .........................................................................315.4 Potential of increased biomass ............................................................................................315.5 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................32


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Forest Management Practices Supporting Wood Biomass

Production

1. Introduction

The report of this study presents the actual status, analysis and recommendations related to the ForestManagement Practices Supporting Wood Biomass Production. Efforts to establish sustainable levels of forestbiomass use in Kosovo need to consider the potential of biological supply and a range of legal, technicaland social limitations. The sustainable development of biomass, although subject to many limitations, also

potentially provides benefits that can promote sustainable development of forestry. This study providessynthesis of current understanding on actual forest management practices, legal and institutional constraintsand recommendations to achieve the sustainable levels of biomass supply. It was realized during the year2012 until July 2013 and is part of the wider study on innovative financing for sustainable forest management.

Forest management practices are based on silvicultural systems a complex integration of both the artand science of forestry, and reflects an understanding of ecological relationships, long-term desires of thelandowner, operational realities, and a creative spirit of innovation and discovery. Kosovo forests are generallyyoung and show big potential in biomass production. Actually, the forest growth is well below optimum,basically because of degradation of coppice forest and the high density in the young high forest. The latter

caused a reduction of the green crown size. A considerable portion of the growth is on low quality trees withlittle or no value as industrial wood. With a thinning programme implemented in high forest, the densitywill be reduced and the low quality trees be removed, moving the growth to the trees with a higher qualityand giving the trees a chance to develop a crown size, which optimises growth. Generally planned andimplementation of management practices in high forest as pre-commercial and commercial thinning are wellsupported and recommended by actual legal framework and experts in Kosovo. Despite the clear theoreticalguidelines, difficulties are more in practical implementation, like annual operative planning for forest stands,financial complications, standard procurement procedures and the lack of monitoring experiences.

The main challenge for forest administration in all levels and private forest owners in Kosovo is the legal and

technical interpretation of silvicultural systems of coppice forest, how to determine the full range of choicesavailable, and to sort through the confusing use and misuse of terminology in different legal and administrativeacts. Successful silviculture depends on clearly defined management objectives. Kosovo has not legalized yetthe forest management practices or silvicultural systems in the Forest practices code. This creates difficultieson obtaining standard definitions on forest management practices for different management regimes inforest stands.

As much as possible use is made through review of existing important documents guiding partly related tothe forest management practices as (I) Kosovo forest law 2003/3, (II) Policy and Strategy Paper on Forest SectorDevelopment in the Republic of Kosovo 2010 2020, (III) Field instruction on Forest Management planningmethodology for Kosovo (version 6 of 2009 KFA, NFG), (IV) National Forest Inventory Report (FAO 2005), (V)

long term forests management plans financed by NFG and KFA, (VI) annual operative plans, thinning projects,



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as well the interpretation of this documents related to the management practises. Careful study showssome contradictory recommendations, definitions and interpretations of these documents, related to themanagement practices, particularly related the coppice forest management, creating confusion on decisionmaking and management practices implemented in coppice forest.

The finding and recommendations of the main legal, administrative, forest policy strategy documents, studieson national forest inventory, long term management plans are underlined related to the recommendationsand rules related to different silvicultural regimes and management practises.

Lack of understanding and harmony related to the management systems and practices between the legal,policy and administrative instructions/guidelines can be considered as real constraint, leading to the difficultieson annual operative planning and deep gap between forest offer, people and business needs and legal forest

management realized. It creates confusion on judging for the effectiveness of actual used managementpractices. Actually 86% of wood harvested is not registered1, the source and the used management practiceis unknown for this amount harvested. The impact of the illegality is reflected in the actual situation of forestcover especially in low growing stock and annual increment in public oak coppice forest.


1 - Kosovo forest sector study 2013


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2. General Forest Situation Kosovo

The geographical basin of Kosovo covers in total an area of 10,840 square kilometres and is situated at analtitude between 500 - 600 m and is surrounded by mountains and divided by a central north-south ridge ofhills into two regions. The soils are generally nutrient rich, providing a good growth medium for natural plantsand agricultural crops. The variety of elevations and soils have contributed in rich natural biological resources,very important on providing fuel, food, shelter, and a source of income for Kosovars. Currently, Kosovo isdivided into 37 municipalities and circa 1,298 villages situated mainly in the plain part surrounded by oakcoppice forest, meantime high forest of beech and coniferous cover Kosovos mountains.

The first National Forest Inventory (NFI) was completed in 2003. The main results and findings of the inventorywere2: 379,200 ha were classified as forestlands through interpretation of aerial photos and field surveys.Another 85,600 ha was classified as forestlands through photo interpretation, but could not be surveyed inthe field because of mines and other logistic constraints. Out of the total area made up of surveyed and notsurveyed forestlands 278,880 ha was classified as public forestlands and 185 920 ha as private forestlands.The total area of 464,800 ha was slightly larger, or 6-8%, than previous estimates. Broadleaved forest, createdthrough natural seeding, covers more than 90% of the forest area. Dominating broadleaved species are oakand beech. Coniferous forest, covering 7% of the total forest area, is dominated by Abies alba, Picea abiesand Pinus species. Based on the actual status of the forest, annual allowable cut was estimated at 900,000 m3corresponding to 77% of the calculated increment on areas surveyed. About 700,000 m3 should be harvestedin High Forest and about 200,000 m3 in Low Forest. These were gross estimates and included tops, bark andlarger branches.

Estimates regarding actual harvesting level vary a lot due to inconsistency in reporting and inefficient, ornon-existing, systems for registration of harvesting data. The Kosovo Forest Agency (KFA), responsible for thereporting, seems to have limited control of forest harvesting activities. The delegation of forest staff, henceforest competence, has been transferred from the central institution to municipalities. The extent of illegal,or informal, harvesting seems to be extensive. All these factors make it very difficult to estimate the realannual volume of wood extracted. The graph below is constructed based on the data of KFA/MAFRD on thereported harvesting from public and private forest. The last column represents the Annual Allowable Cut,recommended in NFI.


2 - All volume figures are expressed in solid m3over bark

Figure 1: Differences between potential and legal

production, based on KFA data 2005-2012

Figure 2: Legal planning and production,

AAC and real harvesting average 2005-2013

compared with annual needs


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The fieldwork of Norwegian Forestry Group (NFG)3 includes an assessment of illegal/informal harvestingwithin the Forest Management Units. Based on the data from these FMP, the total illegal/informal harvestingwas estimated to 550 000 m3for all state forestlands. Since the planning was conducted in high mountainforest, the extensive informal/illegal cutting in public low Oak forest used generally for firewood productionis not included in this estimate.


3 - NFG has supported the drafting of about 20 Forest Management Plans (FMP) in Kosovo


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3. Coppice Forest Management

3.1 Overview on coppice forests

Coppice forest covers in total about 173,600 hectares (46% of the surveyed forest land)4. Based on the NFIdata, in coppice system forest management are included three sub/categories: (I) mixed coppice/seeding orplanting; (II) simple coppice; and (III) coppice with standards. Simple coppice forest cover 115,800 hectare.Mixed coppice (originated by stools and seeds/plantations) cover 36,600 hectare. Coppice with standards(high trees scattered inside the stands) covers 21,200 hectare.

Coppice forest covers mainly the plains of Kosovo (between 400 800 meter) surrounding villages andagricultural lands. They are predominated by the oaks as Hungarian Oak (Quercus frainetto); Turkishoak (Quercus cerrie) and Sessilia oak (Quercus petrea), followed by the beech (Fagus silvatica) on slopes ofmountainous beech habitat. In the overused stands, oaks are frequently replaced by hornbeam (Carpinusorientalis) and other species.

The coppice system is an even-aged silvicultural system for which the main regeneration method is vegetativesprouting of either suckers (from the existing root systems of cut trees) or shoots (from cut stumps). Whileclear cut, seed tree, shelter wood, and selection systems have often been referred to as high forest systemsbecause regeneration generally originates from seed (even if planting occurs). The coppice system has beenreferred to as a low forest systemdue to reliance on vegetative reproduction.


Figure 3: Coppice forests in Kosovo

Table 1: The coppice forest according to the altitudes (NFI FAO 2005)

4 - National Forest Inventory Report FAO 2005


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Coppice is a traditional method of woodland management in which stools are cut on a regular cycle; thisprovides a valuable supply of small-wood used mainly to provide annual needs on firewood for the households,and a variety of habitats for wildlife.

3.2 Situation in coppice forest according to the ownership

According NFI (FAO 2005) from 185,920 hectare the total of private forest about 92% (169,600 hectare) arebroadleaves with oak predomination. About 48% of coppice forest (83,200 hectare) are on private ownershipand are managed by the owners, assisted and controlled by KFA. There are no specific data how is the shareof area of oak forest between private and public forest. Generally oak forest is dominated by coppice regime.It can be supposed that the share of oak area is roughly half by half, as is the share of coppice forest (48%private; 52% public forest).

Generally in Kosovo (illegal) coups have the strip forms with different dimensions, not more than 30 meterwide, with length depended from the size and annual amount needed. In some guidelines the coupe areasmaller than 2 hectares is considered as patch cut5. Generally the annual coupes applied in private forestin Kosovo are in the range of 0.05-0.5 hectares. Smith (1986) recognized the patch cut system (less than 1hectare) as a type of clear cut silvicultural system that promotes natural regeneration in small openings. Alldefinitions of patch cuts include the concept of small openings that will be managed as individual stand units,unlike the openings created in a group selection or group shelter wood situation.

NFI shows an essential difference in the annual increment and stocking growth between the oak private

forest and oak public forest. 74.6% of the total annual increment is in private forest and 25.4% is in the publicforest. Growing stock is shared between oak private and public forest with a rate 71 and 29%. The graphbelow shows annual increment and growing stock on coppice forest according to the ownership.


Figure 4: Private coppice forest in Malisheva coppiced each year in small size coups

5 - Introduction to silviculture BC Ministry of ForestsForest Practices BranchVictoria, BC
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/hfp.htmhttp://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/hfp.htmhttp://www.for.gov.bc.ca/


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There is no specific analysis on the reasons of these differences. There are some comments on differences inincrement and growing stock in the report of national forest inventory: As for coppice forest, private forestsare higher stocked and grow better than public forests or the portion of even-aged forests, and areasunder regeneration, is slightly higher than in public forests. It is difficult to judge whether these differencesare the result of management interventions, different site conditions or other factors (NFI FAO 2005).

There are no specific data to compare the annual legal production from the public and private coppice forest.Generally the annual operative plan is based on the valid management plans. The last are prepared specifically

for 20 forest management units dedicated to the state high forest. In other side there are data in annualharvesting in total public and private forest. Despite the fact that the state owns 60% of total forest area, andthe most of it is high forest with increasing area covered with valid management plans, the legal productionfrom the public forest is lower than the production of private forest in the last 7 years.


Figure 5: Annual increment m3/ha/year on oak forest

private (74.6%) and public (25.4%) forest

Figure 6: Growing stock (m3) private (71%)

and public (29%) oak forest

6 - There are not data on the harvesting in public and private forest on year 2010

Figure 7: Legal wood production (forest harvesting) according to the ownership 2005-2012,

Source: DoF MAFRD


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3.3 Methodology approach

The project team has organized a study to find the reasons leading in differences related to the annualincrement, growing stock volume and wood production realized, between state and private coppice forest.The study is organized in two sequent phases: (I) first phase: desk study on the legal framework, policy andstrategy documents; administrative guidelines; reports on forest inventory, long and short-term managementplans related to the orientations, recommendations and guidelines on coppice forest management, (II)second phase: field surveys to compare the management practices applied in private and public coppiceforest, establish permanent sample plots; organize small scale experiments.

3.4 Desk study

3.4.1 Definitions on management practices & silvicultural systems

A well-designed silvicultural system is a complex integration of both the art and science of forestry, andreflects an understanding of ecological relationships, long-term desires of the landowner, operationalrealities, and a creative spirit of innovation and discovery. Silvicultural systems cannot be selected ready-made from instructions, laws or different forest guidelines. Instead, they must be tailored to each foreststand. Kosovo has not legalized management practices in Forest Code practices. There are no legal guidelineson treatment of different silvicultural regimes. The policy and legal documents remains the base for planning

and implementing of different interventions. The content of the main legal, policy strategy, guidelines andimportant reports on forest inventory, management plans are analysed related to the general terms andcategories used for the coppice forest systems. Recommendations are the starting point to harmonize themand enable to implementation of policy strategy for forest sector development.

3.4.2 Policy and Strategy Paper on Forest Sector Development

The Government of Kosovo launched a process of formulating a National Forest Policy and Strategy Plan fromMay 2008 and approved the final version in March 2010. Related to forest management and silviculture thestrategy call for particular attention in following directions: (I) to tending of young forest, (II) restoration ofdegraded forestlands and (III) establish the scientific base for the elaboration of criteria and guidelines forconversion of degraded young and middle-aged (low) forests into more productive forests. (IV) to reducethe extent of unlawful activities the government shall support the introduction of joint forest managementsystems in low forest and where the overwhelming part is firewood (V) operational planning shall also takeinto consideration the expected needs for forest wood products during the coming year, by the local societyand the business community.



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3.4.4 NFI Recommendations on coppice management practices

NFI report (FAO 2005) determines that the coppice forest (115,800 ha) results as degraded forests with lowstocking and slow growth rates (average growing stock 27.2 m3/ha, and annual increment 1.3 m3per ha/year). The NFI report recommend: that the harvesting (in degraded coppice forest) should be well belowanticipated growth, oriented on pre-commercial thinning in over-dense stands. The rational of this was basedon the assumption that, these forests, both public and private, have been subject to heavy cuttings withshort cutting cycles and with a focus on the largest trees. Pre-commercial thinning was recommended asmanagement practice. Based on the above mentioned rationale, the NFI report (FAO 2005), recommendedfor the private oak forest an annual allowable cut (AAC) of 162,000 m3 and for public forest 50,000 m 3. Thereduction factor for public forest was 0.5 and for private forest 0.55. The data are presented below in the tableincluding the Oak and Beech forests.

There are no long term management plans for public or private coppice forest. The data and recommendationof the last National Forest Inventory was considered to be used as general guidelines. The table belowsummarize areas by treatment opportunities and stand structure recommended (FAO 2005).

The forest conditions in degraded coppice oak forest are very specific and with actual management systemthe trend of the forest development seems to continue to further degradation. Having this in mind the above-mentioned recommendations on treatment by cleaning and thinning, looks far away from the real urgentneeds to stop the further degradation. The actual problem of degraded oak forest is coming for differentreasons including legal, ecological and social. Such a standard recommendation on annual allowable cutcalculations does not represent sufficiently the urgency of this forest management category. After a long timeof neglected management (no plan or controlled intervention) and illegal cuttings, there is an urgent needto return the neglected degraded coppice system in normal and controlled forest management of which a

good option is coppice system. A first step in this direction from an ecological point of view is the removal


Public forest Private forest TotalnetvolumeSpecie Gross Factor Net Gross Factor Net

Oak (Quercus ssp) 99 0.50 50 290 0.55 162 212

Beech (Fagus ssp) 320 1.00 320 116 1.00 116 436

Treatment opportunity in coppice forest OwnershipPrivate hectare Public hectare

No treatment 21,000 28,800

Regeneration without site preparation 1,200 400

Regeneration with site preparation 600 800

Conversion 4,800 6,000

Cleaning-thinning 45,800 47,000

Thinning 3,800 1,000

Clear cut, strip clear cut 200 200

Selection 2,400 2,200

Salvage 4,200 3,200

Total 84,000 89,600

Table 4: Distribution annual allowable cut by specie and ownership, >7 cm (1,000 m3)

Table 5: Treatments recommended for coppice forest


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of the actual degraded vegetation creating opportunities of stools to restart a normal regeneration. Thisrecommendation, however, is in conflict with the article 3.7 of forest law. In the past period pilots have beenestablished on re-introducing coppice forests with small strips in Kosovo in public forests. This is allowed bythe authorities based on the reasoning that when applying strip harvest a sufficient forests cover remains andtherefore fulfilling the law requirement.

3.4.5 Guidelines on forest management planning

Guidelines on forest management systems and practices approved, (version six of 2009; KFA, NFG), do notreflect joint forest management in the forest management systems. It remains far away from participatoryapproach, or objective setting approach based on the annual needs for different products, as indicated in thearticle 3.5 of forest law 2003/3, or in the policy and strategy paper for forest sector development. The instructionis still similar as in other countries of the former Yugoslavia8, only with small variations. There are seven basiccategories of forests included in a forest management plan. These categories are: (I) high forest with naturalregeneration, (II) degraded high forest, (III) forest plantations, (IV) coppice forests, (V) bare land, (VI) non-productive areas and (VII) forest with unknown owner. Each of these are then divided into broader ecological-production classification units (management classes), based on species composition and soil productivity.Every stand is assigned to a management class based on their ecological composition and planned methodof silvicultural treatment or management practices. The definitions of criteria for classification are not clearand they are not easy to understand and use by forest field staff in local offices and municipalities. Somerecommended management practices according to the proposed classes are far away from the actual situation

of Kosovo forest described in NFI 2005. About 88 management classes are described in this guideline; five ofthem classify management classes related to the coppice forest. No one of this management classes includerecommendation for degraded coppice forest. This management class covers however 30% of total forestarea in the country9. In other side there are 22 management classes referred to the degraded high forest.The sources for this management category are not clear. NFI (2005) shows good growing stock and annualincrement in high forest and does not consider any forest area qualified as category as degraded high forest.

3.4.6 Forest strategy implementation

Coherent studies on the strategy implementation analyse the progress achieved. Kosovo forest sector studyshows the deep gap between annual planning and real annual harvesting. Results from five different studies,estimating the annual forest cut in Kosovo, varying between approximately 1 1.9 million m3 wood per year,and 95% of them used for firewood. Out of the total annual harvested forests, 86% is defined as un-recordedharvesting10.

Actually forest degradation and associated loss of ecosystem services represents one of the majorenvironmental challenges facing Kosovo. The most significant obstacles to a viable forest products sector inKosovo are considered the inadequate forest planning and management. There is an urgent need to adjustto pave the way on the implementation of the Kosovo Forest Strategy and Policy and harmonization with it

all other legal and administrative documents supporting active rehabilitation of degraded coppice forests,including joint forest management and practicing coppice forests management.


8 - FAO National Inventory Report September 20059 - The same as 310 - Kosovo Forest Sector Study 2013, Framework consortium led by SIPU International AB


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3.5 Second phase

3.5.1 Field surveys

For this study use is made of field testing carried out under the Sida Kosovo Forestry Development project.Having time constrains, it was decided to have to study cases, in the areas with private and public coppiceforest, where forest administration and local forest owners associations have an interest to cooperate andwhere the ecological conditions, (soil conditions, inclination, exposition) are similar. Making use of earliermade studies provided the opportunity to use data collected. Additional field visits are organized to createan overview of the actual situation in public and private coppice forest and to compare the managementpractises applied and their impact in the actual status of forest. After some field visits in Klina, Nova Brde,

Malisheva, Suhareka, Peja, Decani, Gjakova and discussions with the local forest administration and forestowners associations, related to the traditions and management practices implemented in the private forest,two local workshops were held in Gjakova and Nova Brde.

3.5.2 Management practises on private coppice forest

The choice of the called clear cutting or coppicing by forest owners is much dependent upon their needsto produce firewood for their own use or for the market offering in last years good prices. Generally, in mostcases, the oak coppice owners management objective is for maximum firewood production. They consider

coppicing as financially efficient, with lower costs for timber harvesting than other tree harvesting systems.

Generally private forest owners apply this system based on the family traditions. They are not trained todefine for example the rotation. From one owner to the others the rotation time differs 10 40 years. Differentprivate forest owners have different preferences on the size of the wood that they use for firewood. Based ontheir forest area and desired size they then divide forest area in annual coupes in number equal to the numberof years in the rotation, and one coupe is coppiced each year. For most of the owners the goal is maximumannual volume of firewood production. In this case the rotation of maximum; mean annual increment shouldbe determined. Experienced forest management owners explain that the rotation was defined mainly inempiric ways, by felling year after years sample coupes of different ages, ascertaining by measurement ofthe volume per hectare produced on each, and dividing this volume by corresponding age; that age whichgives the maximum quotient is considered by the owners the rotation producing the maximum volume perannum over the whole forest. By adopting this procedure the total area required to produce a given outturn offirewood for annum maybe reduced in minimum limits. They try to calculate the maximum annual volume intheir forest, but they do not share this management practise with other forest owners, to avoid the penaltiesfrom the forest service because by the law it is considered as banned management practice.

3.5.3 The annual coupe size

Poteze and Konop are the names used by rural people for coups, when coppice forest is managed based

on traditional practices. Traditionally in some parts of Kosovo, forest owners have used one Konop as a



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measurement unit of the coupes wide. It is about nine meter long, and it is easy for woodmen to get it,because it is one standard rope, that is part of the special saddle horse used from woodman for the firewoodloads and transport from forest to home. The part of woodland coppiced for one year is called in some part ofKosovo Poteze. The use of the horse in transport is actually very limited in mountain areas. As demonstratedby private forest owners in such cases, they prefer the annual cut in strip forms with different dimensions, notmore than 30 meter wide, with length depended from the size and annual amount needed.

In some guidelines the coupe area smaller than 2 hectares is considered as patch cut11. Generally the annualcoupes applied in private forest in Kosovo are in the range of 0.05-0.5 hectares. Smith (1986) recognizedthe patch cut system (less than 1 hectare) as a type of clear-cut silvicultural system that promotes naturalregeneration in small openings. All definitions of patch cuts include the concept of small openings that willbe managed as individual stand units, unlike the openings created in a group selection or group shelter wood

situation.

3.5.4 Permanent sample plots

The project team decided to establish the permanent sample plots in Nova Brde and Gjakova private andpublic coppice forest. The aim of survey is to compare the growing stock and annual increment in the similarforest stands under different management practices. It can be considered only the starting point and requirefurther and extended research and experiments covering all coppice forest of Kosovo.

3.5.5 Sample plots in Nova Brde

The municipality of Nova Brde is located in central Kosovo. It covers an area of approximately 204 km andincludes Nova Brde town and 31 villages. According to the Kosovo Population and Housing Census 2011 thetotal population is 6,729 Albanians: 3,524 and Serbs: 3,122. Supply of households with firewood is done bytheir private forests but also through illegal logging in state forests or from the wood market. In the last tenyears there are no operative management plans for public forests. Management practices in public forestconsist of negative selective cutting, a form of intensive thinning by selecting trees with larger dimensions.While in private forest harvesting is realized generally with clear cutting in patches or narrow strips, with some

simple calculations to remove about 1/10 -1/20 of the total growth stock, or forest owned area for each year.With this simple calculation they approximately fulfil their firewood needs for each year.

To compare the impacts of different management practices in public and private forest, 4 sample plots wereestablished, 2 in public and 2 in private coppice forest.


11 - Introduction to silviculture BC Ministry of ForestsForest Practices BranchVictoria, BC
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/hfp.htmhttp://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/hfp.htmhttp://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/hfp.htmhttp://www.for.gov.bc.ca/


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The following observations are made:

a. The comparison on the dendrometric indicators as average stand height and average stand DBH iscomplicated because the sample plots have different agesb. Visible difference makes the growing stock. Growing stock in private forest is generally higher thangrowing stock in the sample plots in public forest.c. Very visible difference between result is the annual increment is 11.1 m3/hectare in private forest and 2.4m3/hectare in state forest

3.5.6 Sample plots in Gjakove (Pashtrik FMU)

Gjakova, with a population of 150,800, is Kosovos third-biggest municipality. Located in the western part ofthe country, Gjakova is an agricultural centre with extensive arable land, extensive sources for irrigation, wideareas of oak coppice forest and a sunny climate. Both agriculture and the forestry have high developmentpotential in the municipality. From the total area of 58,600 hectare agriculture land covers 30,768 hectare andforest land 34,200 hectare from which the private forest cover 14,200 hectare. Oak coppice forest covers morethan 80% of forest area. The surveys and sample plots are focused on the Pashtriku 2, forest management unitin the cadastral zones of Kusar and Lypovec, with a total forest area of 4,931 ha, covered 3,238 hectare or 72%of total area with oak and other broadleaves coppice forest.

Four permanent sample plots are established covering with the same share public and private forest. The

results of measurements are summarized in the tables below.

15


Indicators Unit SP No 1 SP No 2 SP No 1 SP No 2

Ownership Private forest State forest

Locality Village name Manishince Llabjan Llabjan Manishince

Silvicultural regime Low forest Low forest Low forest Low forest

Management practice Coppicing CoppicingIllegalThinning

IllegalThinning

Sample plot area m2 100 100 100 100

Coppiced year 1975 1997 1980 1994

Measured Month/year March 2011 March 2011 March 2011 March 2011

Age year 36 14 25 17

Height meter 14.6 7 6.4 7.4

Trees with diameter

less than 8 cm no of trees 0 28 54 55Trees with diametermore than 8 cm

no of trees 31 19 0 7

Average diameter cm 12.9 7.5 3.8 4.7

Growing stock m3/sample plot

m3 4.108 1.512 0.316 0.59

Growing stock m3/hectare

m3 410.8 151.1 31.6 59

Annual Incrementm3/hectare

m3 11.4 10.8 1.3 3.5

Table 6: Results of measurements in sample plots of Nova Brde


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The following observations are made:a. The average Stand Height in private forest (8m) results two time higher than the average height of the

sample plot in public forest (4-5 m)b. Average stand DBH: The average diameter on private forest is 11.4 cm while in public forest sample plotsis 2.6 cmc. Number of the trees per hectare: is about two times higher in public forest (11,500) while in private forestsample plots result 5,100 trees per hectare.d. Growing stock per hectare resulted in the sample plots of private forest 160 m 3/hectare while in publicforest sample plots an average by 18 m3/hectaree. Annual increment is 8.5 m3/hectare in private forests and 1.25 m3/hectare in state forest.

3.5.7 Forest tree species composition

Based on the tree inventory in each sample plot, all forest species present are recorded for each sample plot.The presence of each forest species in the sample plots in private and public forest is presented in the tablebelow.


Indicators Unit SP No 1 SP No 2 SP No 1 SP No 2

Ownership Private forest State forest

Silvicultural regime Low forest Low forest Low forest Low forest

Management practices Coppicing Coppicing Thinning Thinning

Sample plot area m2 100 100 100 100

Coppiced year 1995 1993 1970 1970

Measured Month/year Sept. 2011 Sept.2011 Dec.2012 Dec.2012

Age year 18 20 15 15

Height meter 8 8 4 5

Trees with diameterless than 8 cm no of trees 39 38 120 103

Trees with diameter

more than 8 cm no of trees 22 23 0 0

Average diameter cm 11.1 11.7 2.53 2.7

Growing stock m3/sample plot m3 1.528 1.712 0.168 0.21

Growing stock m3/hectare m3 152.8 171.2 16.8 21

Annual Incrementm3/hectare m3 8.5 8.6 1.1 1.4

Table 7: Results of measurements in sample plots of Pashtriku FMU


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Public forest (SP 3 and 4) has a long time under intensive negative selection cutting. Despite the fact thatall sample plots are more or less in the similar ecological conditions, there are very visible changes in the

shape, species composition, growing stock and productivity of this forest. It is clear that there are not enougharguments to take conclusions on the relation of management practices to the actual status of surveyedforest stands. On the other side different researchers define forest degradation in lower future biomassaccumulation in recovering forests owing to a shift in species composition (i.e., ecosystem state; see Criterion2) and tree size class structure (Daz and Cabido 2001, Russell et al. 2010).

3.5.8 Impact of management practices on oak coppice degradations

Significant differences resulting from the measurements and data processing for each sample plot showthe need for further surveys and analysis for the reasons of degradations focused on the impact of differentregimes in coppice forest. Illegal intensive selective cutting seems the main reason. The presence of high


Table 8: The forest species composition on measured sample plots,

on managed and non-managed coppice forest

Figure 8: Stand composition of the sample plots


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illegal cutting levels is demonstrated from the fieldwork on the preparation of long term forest managementplans. From the planning fieldwork process on about 20 FMU realized by NFG, was estimated the total of550,000 m3 illegal/informal cutting from high public forest. Considering the fact that total non-recordedamount of annual harvesting is 1,054,000 m3wood, the differences of about 500,000 m3needs to be from theremaining forests, the oak coppice forests As highlighted very clear in the NFI report (FAO 2005) In low forest(Quercus), seem to have been subject to heavy cuttings (short cutting cycles and with concentration to thelargest trees).

Analysing both frequent cycles and taking the best and leaving the rest in the point of view of managementpractices can categorized as selective cutting in short rotations. Coppicing in short rotations generally haspositive impact in regeneration and increment rate. As selective cutting or illegal cutting is not cuttingeverything the non-identified cutter want. Coppicing is cutting everything in the coupe. The objective is to

provide full sunlight with other words not partial sunlight, with a heavy dose of shade from runt, cull, andunwanted not felled trees.

Oaks are lovers of light. Each stool resulted after illegally felled tree, is supposed in normal coppice regime notto die, but to be reproduce shoots, known as stool shoots, or coppice shoots. These stool shoots arise eitherfrom dormant buds situated in the side of the stool at or near ground level, or from adventitious buds arisingfrom the cambial layer round the periphery of cut surface. There are some studies on the relation of oakdevelopment with light regime: The seedlings exposed to very little light not only grew much less, but werealso prone to a much higher mortality rate. The greatest differences became apparent only after a few years,when the greatest distinction was visible even with a relatively slight reduction in the amount of daylight,

i.e. a reduction in the light intensity from 85 to 43% (Vera 1995). The growth of the root of the shaded plantswas not only greatly reduced overall, but was also restricted to a few periods of the year; on the other hand,in young Pedunculate Oak growing in full daylight, the growth of the root system continued throughout theyear, (Hoffmann, 1967; Brookes et al., 1980; Harmer, 1990; Alaoui-Soss et al.,1994).

In this point of view one of the hypotheses of degradation reasons, is considered the inappropriate lightregime coming after intensive selective cutting from each stool where there are sprout in the desireddiameter. The new sprouts coming from vegetative buds of stools, to replace the small space created after thebigger tree is cut, would have fewer chances to have normal growth in absence of the sufficient light. Thesenew sprouts have fewer chances to survive, reducing and losing the photosynthesis capacity of reducedvegetative mass, leading step by step to the reduced vitality of roots, vegetative buds and sprouts after eachcycle of new selective cuttings. This combination of illegal logging with wrong silvicultural practise (preferredfor covering the signs of the illegal activities) can be considered as a main phenomenon leading step by stepin decreasing the potential of vegetative regeneration and finally in general degradation of all forest fromroot system to the tree crowns. Further experiments, surveys and studies are needed come to full diagnosesand recommendations. The sample plots and analysis undertaken are in this sense indicative.



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3.5.9 Permission to experiment the ways for rehabilitation

Main findings from the surveys and data processing in sample plots established in Nova Brde, related to therole of management practises on the development of coppice forest were shared in the workshop organizedin Nova Brde in March 2011. It was agreed with the community, commune and KFA to experiment the stripclear cutting with different dimension of the strips and different intensity of cutting and number of standardtrees left.

3.5.10 Experiments on rehabilitation of degraded coppice oak forest

The first experiment on rehabilitation of degradation coppice forest was established in Manishince in AprilMay 2011.

Total forest area under the experiment is 27 hectare (see figure 9) received by Google earth images. Studyof the actual vegetation and its development are based on the data from two permanent sample plotsestablished as indicated in scheme.

The forest is dominated by oak in 95% (Sessile oak 68%, Turkish oak 20% and Hungarian oak 7%) mixed with

hornbeam, hazelnut and dogwood about 5%. Crowns are situated in the upper part covering 35% of the totaltree height, generally narrow, not well developed. The stand is in the second age class (11-20) as average 17years old.

Average height: 7.2 m.Average Diameter: 5.6 cm.The crown cover density: 0.8Volume for one sample plot (100 m2): 0.589 m3

Volume for one hectar: 59 m3.The toal volume of experimental area is 1345 m3/ha


Figure 9: Area of the coppice forest experiment


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The aim of the experiment is to identify the appropriate management practices leading on the rehabilitationof degraded oak coppice.

The implementation was realized based on the prepared design.


Stripno

Striparea m2

Intervention scheme Number of thetrees /hectareafterintervention

Explanations

1. 19.340 The strip is 20 meter wide, in themiddle one tree each 10 meter left uncut

200 Coppice withstandards

2. 29.242 20 meter wide, to be cut after 5 years 5615 No cutting

3. 31,460 20 meter wide, in the middle each 5meter one un tree left un cut

400 Coppice withstandards

4. 33.238 20 meter wide, to be cut after six years 5615 No cutting

5. 36.239 The strip wide is 20 meters, it isdivided in three parts, the first part 9meter wide and the third part ninemeter wide coppiced.The midle part 2meter wide not touched

560 Coppicing combined

6 48.260 The strip is 20 meter wide It will be cutafter seven years

5615 Ne intervention

7-8 The same as strip two.

Table 9: The proposed cutting schemes


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The scheme is graphical provided in the figure below.

Strip coppicing is used to coppice the stand over a period of three to seven years by removing several stripsrather than coppicing the entire stand at once. The strip will be alternate as explained in the table.

The general width of each strip is 20 meter (about 1.5 times the tree height). Three different schemes will beimplemented to test different number of standard trees.

Scheme of standard trees 10m x 10 m = 100 trees/ha, Schme of standard trees 5m x 10 m = 200 trees/ ha, and Narrow strip 2 meter wided in the schme 9+2+ 9 m with about 565 trees.


Figure 10: Implemented strips schemes in the experiment


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Time of intervention was April 28 - May 2, 2011. The first measurements are realized in end of October 2012.Further surveys are realized in May, July September 2013.

The second experiment was established in November- December 2012. The surveys and sample plots arefocused on the Pashtriku 2, forest management unit with a total forest area of 4.931 ha, covered 3,238 hectareor 72% of total area with oak and other broadleaves coppice forest.

The experiment data are:Name of the place: Guri i KuqManagement regime: Coppice forest

Under experiment area: 1 hectareOwnership: PublicAltitude: 539 mStrip exposition: SouthWidth of strips: 20 mInclination: 11-30%Soil type: BrownDepth: DeepProductivity of forest: LowSanitary situation: Good

The quality of trees: PoorErosion: No erosion


May 2011 November 2012 July 2013

Figure 11: Situation of coppiced strips by years

Figure 12: Area of the experiment

(Coordinates: N: 420 18.721; E: 0200 27.429; N: 420 18.738; E: 0200 27.359)


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Forest stand description:Last coppicing: 1980Formal Age: 32 yearsActual age: 10-15 yrsAverage diameter 2.7 cmAverage height 5mNo of trees per hectare 10,300Volume hectare 21 m3

Annual increment 1.3 m3/hectare

Aim of intervention is to rehabilitate the degraded oak forest. The full light regime will give the opportunity

to develop straight and healthy sprouts.

Implementation intervention is realized in November 2012. The coppiced and non-coppiced strip alternationis combined as in the scheme. The on-going monitoring will be realized through measurement in sampleplots, in both coppiced and non-coppiced strips, to compare the annual increment.

The first results are shown in the figures below.


Stand composition English names

% of

cover

Quercus petrea Sessile Oak 25.2

Fraxinus ornus Ash 33.0

Carpinus orientalis Hornbeam 22.3

Acer obtusatum Bosnian Maple 14.6

Quercus fraineto Hungarian oak 3.9

Cornus mas Dogwood 1.0

Table 10: General data on stand description

Figure 13: Intervention scheme

Figure 14: Results of the intervention

During implementation November 2012 New regeneration September 2013


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3.5.11 Potential of biomass production

Through two demonstration workshops and brainstorm during collective field visits to compare the resultsof different management practices applied in public and private forest reflection was made on the results.In this way support and understanding of MAFRD and KFA was achieved. It was allowed to experiment theopportunities of degraded oak forest rehabilitation. In each of case studies realized two experiments arealready set up, enabling to have surveys on the regenerations, coming species compositions, annual incrementand growing stock. The significant differences between systematic coppice management practices with theselective cutting the best and leaving the rest in very short cycles, demonstrated the urgency of interventionon the degraded forest rehabilitation. With an objective to rehabilitate about 10,000 hectare in year, inside tenyears, is an opportunity for to increase the biomass production about 200,000 m3per year from the annualrehabilitation works.

Growing stock on private oak forest was assessed by 6,803,000 m3. If step by step the attitude related tothe coppice forest will change, the short rotation will be accepted and recommended to the forest ownersaccording to their management objectives and annual need on firewood. This change can lead in the reviewof calculations of AAC, based on the rotations applied by forest owners for firewood production (10-30 years).Based on the agreed rotation and AAC in private oak forest can be in the range of 226,667 m3- 680,300 m3.

3.5.12 Conclusions

Based on the experience and traditions on management practices on low forest implemented by forestowners there are some advantages in management, production, and revenues:

The system is very simple in application, needs less expertise in field and regeneration is usually morecertain and cheaper than in the case of reproduction by seed. Some preliminary measurements and literature data shows that in the earlier stages coppice growthis more rapid, hence where a large outturn of firewood of small to moderate size is required coppice isgenerally superior to high forest Coppice is worked on a shorter rotation than most high forest crops, and very soon can have positiveimpact in reducing illegal logging and fill the gap between the plan and demand on firewood; Coppicing in careful demarcating coups can transform the problem of illegal cutting in the solution,

legal cutting in each planned degraded forest parcels with clear definitions, to transform the degradedforest in an improved forest; This system can enable a radical change from no management approach leading to illegal management,to the management approach, leading to employment and forest improvement, with less investmentsand capital tied up in the growing stock, and earlier returns obtained, than in the case of high forest.

Coppice forest shows a high potential in biomass production. Being for a long time a problem, it can betransformed in the current solution. Forest rehabilitation works represents a real opportunity for employment,to increase the productivity of biomass on large areas of currently degraded forests which under efficientmanagement can produce a much higher yield of timber, fuel wood and wood biomass. The impact of theNFI recommendation to include only 50-55% of AAC on the annual harvesting for coppice forest needs to bereviewed and the appropriate improvements in policy, legal and annual planning to be recommended. The



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4. Beech forest pre-commercial thinning

4.1 Situation and problem with young Beech forests

The forests policy strategy document highlighted the urgent needs on Intensified management of youngforests will provide immediate benefits in form of employment opportunities and increased access to wood.Related to the forest management and silviculture the strategy calls to commence with large-scale tendingprograms in young and over-dense public forests resulting in (I) improved structure of the forests, (II) increasedproduction of firewood and small-sized wood suitable for a wood processing industry designed for processingsmall size logs and (III) provision of employment opportunities for the rural population.

The results of NFI 2005 also show that many young and middle-aged forests are in an urgent need ofmanagement interventions, ranging from cleaning/pre-commercial thinning to commercial thinning. Standsestablished by natural seeding (171,200 ha) are relatively well stocked and is dominated by high productivebeech and coniferous forest. Related to the beech forest is stated that Many young and middle-aged beechforest is over-dense, and in needs of thinning. This means that there are:

many more stems per hectare than in best practice leading to lower than expected stem diameters andlower value increment; higher volumes per hectare due to the high stem density; low growth due to reduced green crown volume; and low quality since high quality stems have been out competed by lower quality stems.

The young beech forests are today generally over-stocked. The density is in many areas so high that the standsare self-thinning, which means that trees die because of lack of light and loss of crown volume (the crownbeing the engine of the tree). The growth is well below optimum, basically because the high density hascaused a reduction of the green crown size. A considerable portion of the growth is on low quality trees withlittle or no value as industrial wood. Some interventions on cleaning thinning on 897 hectares of young forestare realized in 2012, assisted by the Ministry of Labour.


Figure 15: Beech forest in Kosovo


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4.2 Proposed measure and practice

The young beech forests in Kosovo generally have not been treated by cleaning and thinning for many years.Some models on cleaning and thinning are established in Istog Suhareka Dragash and Ferizaj Municipalities.In the first intervention about 25% of growing stock is felled. The actual legal framework does not give clearindications on thinning work implementation. Joint forest management as an opportunity suggested by forestdevelopment strategy, has not any appropriate legal frame for implementation. It is not enabled by actualforest law and procurement procedures. The right interpretation of the Law on private-public partnership,and a real commitment of the main stakeholders, can create the spaces for piloting. Some financial supportmight be needed.

It is proposed to review the actual investment structure in forestry sector. The main requested improvementsare: balance better the investments in long term planning (with actual planning 100% of investments on forestplanning is dedicated to the preparation of the long term management plans actually). The review and bettershare can improve the annual planning and create the opportunity to put young forest under treatment. Thesecond adoption needed is to review the silvicultural investments. Actually 100% of investments are dedicatedto the afforestation. It is needed to share the investments between the young forest thinning and degradedforest rehabilitation and afforestation, based on accurate study for the return rate of each investment.

4.3 Wood production biomass production

Beech can be considered as the main forest species related to the standing volume. The total standing volumeon public forest lands is estimated at about 33.5 million m3, 35% of this volume is in beech forest. Out ofthis volume 25.9 million m3are trees with a diameter >7 cm. An estimate of an additional 7.6 million m3wascalculated for trees on other wooded land and for trees


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The amount to be removed is depending on the standing volume and age of beech stands. Most of thesample plots show a potential volume to be removed of more than 22 m3/hectare. Out of 171,200 hectare ofbeech forest, 88,000 hectare results younger than 40 years, overstocked and in high urgency for thinning. Itmeans annually roughly 8,000-10,000 hectares can be planned for thinning, with an annual potential for smalldimensions firewood or biomass by 176,000-220,000 m3produced for each year.

With a thinning programme implemented, the density will be reduced and the low quality trees be removed,moving the growth to the trees with a higher quality and giving the trees a chance to develop a crown size,which optimises growth.

4.4 ConclusionsThe forests in Kosovo have a great development potential and the forestry sector can become an importantcontributor to the national economy, both in terms of income from the wood production and as a generatorof employment opportunities. To realise this potential, however, a range of silvicultural measures needs tobe launched to make up for many years of neglected proper management. At the same time as the forestscontain large volumes of low quality wood most Kosovars are struggling to find, reasonably priced, firewoodfor heating and cooking. With a thinning programme implemented, the density will be reduced and the lowquality trees be removed, moving the growth to the trees with a higher quality and giving the trees a chanceto develop a crown size, which optimises growth.



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5. Agroforestry practices

5.1 Situation and problems on agroforestry

The use of firewood remains as a main source for the majority of families in rural areas and considerablefamilies of urban areas. The firewood is considered as a most valuable alternative with low costs, taking intoaccount the current economic situation in the country. Local people are aware that the main cost on firewoodin its transport. This is one of the main reasons why everywhere in Kosovo the sides of canals, roads, streamsand demarcation of the private agricultural farm, are lineated with strips with tree species in different shapes,ages and landscapes. From scientific point of view this land use is getting an increasing attention and isconsidered as an integrated approach enabling the interactive benefits from combining trees and shrubs

with annual crops and /or livestock named as agroforestry, combining agricultural and forestry to create morediverse productive profitable healthy and sustainable land use systems. The term agroforestry is usually notknown by local people. This is more known as mezhda.

Forest Law no 2003/3 in the definition related to the forest land accept very small areas from 0.1 hectare andhigher in size as forest land. On the other hand it excludes agricultural territories forest trees planted in strips,for land protection from erosion, crop protection from the sun or wind, or aesthetic functions, despite theircomposition with forest trees or the size that can be more than 0.1 hectares. In the Forests Law of Kosovo,promulgated 20 March 2003, Forest, unless other is stated, is land registered as such in the cadastral records.Forest land is land that is being managed for the production of wood or other forest products or whose

best use, given its natural characteristics and economic condition, involves the growing of trees. Forestlandsshould be at least 0.1 ha in size, which differs from the international definitions. Lands where trees have beenplanted in strips primarily to control erosion, create shelter from wind, give shade, or improve aesthetics arenot forestland.

As in many other countries, in principle, agroforestry is regarded as belonging to all sectors, but in practice,it belongs to none and do not occupies a special line in a governmental body or has its own policy space. Itfalls between the agriculture, forestry and environment departments, with no institution taking a lead rolein the inventory and management of agroforestry. Agriculture departments emphasize crop production onagricultural lands; thus agricultural policies directly contribute to excluding trees from farms and the landscape.Integrating trees into farms and landscapes and sustainably manage is a very important alternative to reduceillegal practices in the surrounding wooded area. Agroforestry share with forestry sector a very importantpart of firewood needs for local population and generates significant public ecosystem services, such aswatershed protection, soil and biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and avoided emissions, aswell as minimizing climatic and financial risks and landscaping.

5.2 Current use and practice

The crop of agroforestry is harvested generally based on the traditions and in the urgent needs of thefarmer in different products as firewood, poles for vineyard and other agricultural uses as support for beans,tomatoes etc. Agroforestry also provides for forests fruits and nuts as well as fodder and even timber. Since in



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agroforestry often also other less regular forest species occur it can provide wood for specific purposes andat times with high quality.

Traditional treatment in willow alder and poplar is pollarding, in oak, ash, maple is trimming or shredding. Itconsist of cutting the tops or branches of trees with the object of stimulating the production of numerousstraight shoots near the top of the cut them; these are trimmed periodically at intervals of one or more yearsto furnish material for basket- work, fencing, hurdles, fascines etc. Pollarding is carried out most commonlyin the case of willows and alders and poplars along the sides of streams canals and ditches; it is frequentlypractised in moist meadows, where the pollarding can be carried out at a height sufficient to ensure theshoots being out of reach of cattle. Another practice of a similar kind is the periodical trimming of the shootswhich produces poles of certain poplars, oaks, maple etc. In the case of firewood production the cutting cycleis 3-5 years. Time after time the mother tree is used for firewood and replaced by a new one.

In general the practice and level of production from agroforestry is neglected within the Kosovo forestry sector.Neither forest law, nor the strategy for forest development has any article or directive toward agroforestry.But forest guards do not allow the farmers to transport products resulted without transport permission. Theforestry department has no records and data on agroforestry contribution on firewood production in Kosovo.

On the specific objectives of EU alignment, as part of Kosovo strategy for rural development from 8 ruraldevelopment measures, a specific focus on agro-forestry systems is given to measure 5 by assisting afforestationand the establishment of agro-forestry systems, particularly in Natura 2000 areas, where some farmers maysee an opportunity to shift from agricultural production to forestry.

A modification of land-use towards an increased share of land with a more permanent plant cover willcontribute positively to present policies on climate change through carbon sequestration, and by promotingsustainable forest management measure but currently there is not action planned.


Figure 16: Agroforestry practices in Kosovo


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5.3 Wood production biomass production

There are no official data on the level and the production of agroforestry system in Kosovo and no assessmentsor evaluations are known. A general assessment of the agroforestry in Kosovo was realized during 2012 in threepilot municipalities as part of this study. The first step was the selection of the representative municipalities.Dragash, Junik and Kacanik were selected. Before sample plot sizes and positions selections, one generalevaluation began with interpretation of ortophoto maps and crossing points of wood and shrub vegetationthat developed in edge agricultural properties and sides of streams.

The second part of the evaluation began with determining the location and definition of sample plot areas.Subject of the assessment was the measurement of all standing trees with DBH > 5 cm within the radius ofsample plot by 12.6 m. The total volume of vegetation in 15 sample plots, at the level of the three municipalitiesis estimated to be 48.54 m, while the average level of wood volume for each sample plots was found to be3.24 m. Regarding the wood species participation alder has 56.8 % followed by black locust 12.9%, oak 12.8%,hornbeam 6% and other species 16%. More well defined methodologies related to intensity, area, the formand edge compensation on the boundary between hedgerow and agricultural lands needs to be applied,in more communes in Kosovo. However from this indicative study is shown the relevance of agroforestry inwood biomass production.

Assuming that at the country level have roughly similar situation with the findings in the three pilotmunicipalities estimate that 450,000 ha of agricultural land, the total hedgerows area is assessed between45,000-90,000 hectare. These are very preliminary data. More surveys and inventory are needed to know the

actual standing volume and the annual wood production from Kosovo agroforestry. The rotation varies fromland conditions species and objectives from 3-20 years.

5.4 Potential of increased biomass

More detailed study of actual practices can be the first step to identify the actual best practices and share itbetween the farmers. There are not data related to the rotations applied, the production capacities of differenttraditional species as well the candidate species for short rotation energy production. After the study analysisfor assessment of current situation in agroforestry, potential and contribution of agroforestry for production

of wood and biomasses for heating of the population is seen as important. It is therefore recommended toinvestigate in appropriate practices for agroforestry. The current practices and systems should be investigatedand reviewed for to improve and economise the practices. Options to support further development ofagroforestry can be on improvement and enrichment of hedgerows and line plantations. The use of differentspecies among which fast growing species are an option leading to increased production.



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One case study implemented by CNP in cooperation with Ferizaj FOA, is focused on the testing annualincrement and potential of a hybrid willow. The proposed measure and practices for the use of agroforestrypotential includes fast growing species: Salix Alba.

From testing of selected area planted with fast growing tree in Ferizaj, the results of measurements arepresented in the table.

This kind of fast growing species show good potential and could be supported by programmes on increasingwood biomass production by farmers.

5.5 Conclusions

Agroforestry is a neglected aspect of forestry, but is known for its use and importance by the rural communitiesand producing substantial amounts of wood biomass and provides a wider range of other products andservices.

The general opinion is that agroforestry is an important contribution on firewood material for rural families.Being very spontaneous and out of any technical parameters in the layout, composition and treatments it isdifficult to assess how this potential is actually used. When designed and implemented correctly, agroforestry


Figure 17: Fast growing Salix in Ferizaj, year 1 and year 2

Table 12: The dendrometric indicators of short rotation willow hybrid in Ferizaj

Agroforestry- Willowtesting area - Ferizaj

First Year Measurements Second YearMeasurements

Average Diameter cm 2.8 4.9 cm

Average tree high m 3.25 m 4.73 m

No of trees/ha 10.000 10.000

Volume/hectare m3/ha 15.9 52.5

Annual growth 15.9 36.6


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combines the best practices of tree growing and agricultural systems, resulting in the sustainable and multi-use of land including products and services.

Agroforestry therefore serves to enrich farmers through the harvesting of diverse products at different timesof the year. It also brings job opportunities from the processing of tree products, expanding the economicbenefits to rural communities and national economies.

There is a big potential to evaluate and undertake interventions for improvements. The first step can beinstitutional considering as part of agriculture or forestry. This can be followed by an inventory and strategyfor development as part of rural Kosovo. Agroforestry systems can be conceived for spaces varying from plotsto farms to landscapes. At plot level, farmers may combine nitrogen-fixing trees with cereal crops. At farmlevel, they may plant trees in woodlots or along boundaries. At landscape scale communities may rehabilitate

degraded areas through trees and other vegetation. Effective agroforestry systems make the most of positiveinteractions between their various components, so that the final product is more valuable than in the absenceof trees, while the risks of failed harvests and dependence on chemical inputs are reduced. Even at plot level,where trees may compete directly with crops, experiments demonstrate that in well-managed agroforestryplots, trees have added value that exceed any loss in crop production value. However, these outcomes are notguaranteed, so attention must be paid to the type of agroforestry system used and species selected.



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Working together to grow a canopy of trees providing home, shelter, food,

a livelihood as well as a place to wander

CNVP is a legacy organisation of SNV in the Balkans. Established through alegal demerger, CNVP will continue the SNV forestry and rural developmentprogramme in the Balkans and beyond.

CNVP envisions:

Local communities achieving their own development goals; Maximising the production and service potential of forests throughSustainable Forest Management and locally controlled Natural ResourceManagement; Forests contributing to equitable local economic development supportingrural livelihoods; Forests contributing to wider societal interests and values includingbiodiversity conservation and wellbeing; Connecting natural values and people!

Connecting Natural Values & People

7th Floor Zayed Business Centre

Rr. Sulejman Delvina, Tirana e Re

Tirana, Albania

PO Box 1735

T 355 4 222 9642 355 4 222 9551


forest practices in kosovo, haki kola

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