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WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS
Policy options for storm damage management
(Strategické zámery manažmentu veternej kalamity)
18 – 21 April 2005
Sielnica near Zvolen, Slovak Republic
Common recommendations of the participants
Declaration
International workshop, 18 – 21 April 2005, Zvolen, Slovak Republic
Policy options for storm damage management
[Strategické zámery manažmentu veternej kalamity]
We, experts and representatives of stakeholders in forest land use in the Tatra region as well as storm damage experts from European countries,
participating in a workshop on “Policy Options on Storm Damage Management” in Zvolen, Slovakia on 18-21 April 2005 organised by the Slovakian Government, UNECE and FAO,
noting the significant extent of storm affected forests and the potential threats to the environmental, social and economic functions of Slovakian forests,
being informed that the storm management planning has already reached consensus among the forest land use stakeholders in most of the affected areas,
recognising partly opposing interests on some issues, particularly in High Tatra National Park, brought forward by the various stakeholders,
considering that Slovak Republic is committed to Pan-European agreements on sustainable forest management (e.g. MCPFE, Natura 2000),
considering the current policy framework for forest land use, particularly the current definition of protected forest areas, as the base for any measure related to the current storm damage management,
Recommend:
to base decisions on economically viable development elaborated by competent authorities on the priority protection of natural and cultural heritage, respecting the law and ownership rights, using participatory processes of consensus building.
to use a participatory approach, improve communication and build trust, involving representatives of all stakeholders and the public in general into technical, administrative and financial storm damage management measures as well as into general policy decision making on forest land use in Slovakia,
to complement urgently the existing storm damage analyses by a risk scenario assessment, considering all environmental, social and economic functions of forests and forestry (such as erosion, biodiversity, water management, rural development etc.) and assure public access to storm relevant information,
to focus the overall storm damage management carried out by various stakeholder groups on maintaining the forest cover and concrete acreage of the forest fund, re-establishing the environmental, social and economic functions of forest land use defined by the existing policy framework,
to safeguard during decision making about the affected forest area (where so far no consensus could be reached) that the conservation of natural resources have priority over other development interests in the area of the national park, thus leave damaged trees untouched in protection “level 5“,
to not use chemical protection measures by air plane in the area of the TANAP,
to use close-to-nature forestry measures in TANAP National Park during harvesting, protection measures (pheromone traps, debarking in forest stands) and afforestation (focus on natural regeneration and succession, mixed stands from autochthon tree species),
the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture to approve a consensus approach for the common procedure to create a zoning plan for all National Parks of Slovak Republic on the base the law Act no. 543/2002 on nature and landscape protection of Slovak Republic,
as a scientific base to elaborate and implement a comprehensive, long-term “Strategy for Forest Land Use”, considering the whole spectrum of societal demands (forestry, biodiversity, water management, landscape protection, eco-tourism and rural development, etc), including a review of protected forest zones, provide this strategy as an input to any spatial and territorial planning for Tatra National Park,
to elaborate and implement restructuring measures for Tatra forests (inline with the “Strategy for Forest Land Use”) towards more stable and nature oriented stands, considering the specific climatic circumstances on Southern slopes of Tatra mountains, promote applied research for nature oriented forestry management,
to monitor the market mechanisms with regard to the stability of roundwood prices as well as the availability of capacities for storm damage management measures (harvesting, protection, planting, others ) and undertake if required adequate policy measures (e.g. promote stocks of roundwood and wood products),
to set up efficient (as less as possible, as much as required) and fair policy framework for all forest owners (state, private, community) which treats all types of ownership equally, implementing compensation measures for non-state forest owners, exchanging or buying up the land; in line with this to request the Government of Slovak Republic to create a system of reimbursement for losses of all forest owners caused by the implementation of the nature and landscape protection legislation,
to develop coordination mechanisms for the effective implementation of forest land use management, financial incentives, and other policy measures related to forest land use particularly with regard to nature conservation priority, bundle the corresponding policy institutions and instruments,
to develop immediately a methodology on the impacts of hazards resulting from the current wind blow on the basis of a consensus of experts,
to request the government of Slovak Republic to establish a regional hazard assessment and monitoring network with international support in order to gather and disseminate relevant knowledge on hazards relevant to the region and to improve assessment of hazards and the monitoring of their effects,
to propose to the government to elaborate an umbrella legislation for discussion and agreement to deal more effectively with disaster related issues,
to continue in consultation process between Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment and NGOs in order to reach the consensus on the management of Natura 2000 sites.
Request upon international organisations:
to set up an European storm damage network of excellence for forests in order to compile and disseminate storm damage management experiences,
to assist the Slovak government further in the implementation of storm damage management measures, namely capacity building in comprehensive understanding of forest land use and the “Strategy for Forest Land Use in Tatra Region”.
This document was approved by a plenary session of the participants of the workshop on “Policy Options on Storm Damage Management” in Sielnica near Zvolen, 21 April 2005.
The meeting participants agreed to provide these recommendations to the Governmental committee on reconstruction and development of the High Tatras (Session on 28 April 2005).
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