Current Status and Perspectives of Forestry Entrepreneurship in Croatia

Abstract

Background and Purpose: The relevance and importance of forestry entrepreneurship is constantly increasing, especially in countries with high transition dynamics in forestry sector. In Croatia, forestry entrepreneurs have in short time become an indispensable part in the performing of harvesting and other types of forestry operations. This paper presents the current status and perspectives of forestry entrepreneurship in Croatia. Materials and Methods: Based on the analysis of the available data from various sources (normative state acts, Forestry Chamber’s official registries, databases and documents, state forestry company business reports etc.), this paper provides an overview of the legal and institutional framework for the activities of private entrepreneurs in Croatian forestry with particular attention to licensing forestry contractors and the role of the Croatian Chamber of Forest and Wood Technology Engineers (Forestry Chamber). Results and Conclusions: The paper explains the activities, tasks, organization structure and formal bodies of the Forestry Chamber. The licensing model is also presented together with the formal criteria and minimum conditions which forestry entrepreneurs have to fulfill in order to acquire a license for forest work operations. Structural characteristics and the profile of forestry entrepreneurs is given by the number, size and type of business, the type of forest operations for which they are licensed, and the volume of work that they are performing for Croatian Forests Ltd, the state forest company. Finally, the paper includes some reflections on the perspectives and possibilities for improving the status of entrepreneurship in Croatian forestry.