The New Year has brought significant changes to the forest industry – as of 1 January, the State Forest Service (VMD) has substantially increased fees for both forestry and hunting activities, justifying the decision by the need for funds for the service's development. In forestry, this applies to felling applications. Previously, a felling application for a main clear-cut cost 4.27 euros; now, it costs between 30 and 70 euros. No more than three felling areas of the same type may be included in a single application. Even though fees have risen as much as tenfold, it is fair! Increasing these fees has been a dragged-out issue for several decades.

Perhaps the tariff change could have been gradual, but an industry that generates such a significant contribution to the national economy can afford to pay much more for this service, and there is a reason – the motivation of forest rangers. The question now is whether the newly acquired funds will also be directed towards increasing rangers' salaries and raising professional competence, or merely into the state budget for general spending.

For a long time, the forest ranger (formerly 'mežsargs') has been one of the oldest and most prestigious professions in the forest sector. A person capable of holding this title notices and sees much more than any 'ordinary' forest visitor. The work of a forest ranger is very complex – they are responsible for forest supervision, for example, by regulating what may or may not be felled, advising people on forest regeneration, land improvement, protected trees and bird issues, as well as maintaining knowledge of protected natural territories and areas of environmental damage, such as where the spruce bark beetle has multiplied or where ash tree roots are dying.
Pixabay photograph used