More scope for forest owners to make their own decisions, better conditions for adapting forests to climate change, new support for the provision of forest ecosystem services, more room for natural processes and less administration for owners – these are the innovations in the amendments to the Forest Act drawn up by the Czech Ministry of Agriculture, which the Czech government approved at its sitting on 25 September.
The aim of the amendments to the Forest Act is to give owners positive motivation to manage their land more sustainably, to increase the diversity of forests and to promote their adaptation to climate change. All of this should help forests regenerate successfully after bark beetle damage.
"The bill is a response to the practical experience and knowledge of foresters, staff of the state forest administration, interest groups and the professional community. We are simplifying the paperwork, because we are trying to ease the administration associated with forest management and forestry for owners of forest land. Natural regeneration will predominate in the forests, which will make them more resilient to weather and pests," explained the Czech Minister of Agriculture, Marek Výborný.
The Forest Act reduces owners' obligations for maintaining all the functions of the forest and does away with unnecessary red tape. For example, the amendments extend the deadlines for forest regeneration from 2 to 5 years and the deadlines for securing the healthy growth of young stands from 7 to 10 years. This measure will help improve natural regeneration and encourage the use of native tree species and species diversity. The amendments lower the minimum felling age – for ordinary forest, from the current 80 years to 60 years. This is also one of the adaptation measures, allowing stands unsuited to their species to be converted earlier, as well as making it possible to move earlier from grazing to so-called ownerless management. This provision will simplify the drawing up of forest management plans for small forest owners. The preparation of forest management training programmes will no longer be handled by individual municipalities; instead it will be provided centrally by the Czech Forest Management Institute, which will also monitor the training programmes adopted. This will not only reduce the administrative burden on municipalities, but will also mean uniform commissioning and quality control of training programmes.
Forest management experts will in future have to inform the owner about damage caused by game animals or damage caused by grazing. They will have to propose appropriate protective measures, as well as attend training courses at least once every 5 years.
The Act will allow the creation, without special permission, of ponds, polders and dams whose total area, including the water surface, does not exceed 1,000 m². For larger projects, which do require permission, the charge for the so-called change of land use for the performance of forest functions is now abolished, provided that the body of water or reservoir to be built will serve to retain water in the landscape or improve the availability of water for extinguishing forest fires.
Livestock may now be grazed in the forest, but this must not damage the forest or restrict visitors' free access to it. Grazing has a beneficial effect on biodiversity. On the other hand, it will now be prohibited to damage or remove ski trails already laid out in the forest. Breaches of the ban on entering the forest by car or motorcycle may also be penalised for the owner of the motor vehicle.
The new amendments to the Act introduce entirely new financial incentives for the provision of forest ecosystem services. Owners will be able to receive support for the ecosystem service benefits that the forest provides to society as a whole – for example, if forest owners grow forests in such a way that they capture as much carbon as possible and/or support their biodiversity.
Under the amendments to the Act, it will still be possible to enter the forest and gather berries, mushrooms and other by-products for one's own needs. In doing so, forest ecosystems must not be damaged or endangered.
The Act is due to come into force on 1 July 2025, but some provisions will be deferred by one or two years.