A collaboration between Slovak and Hungarian conservation organisations, forestry companies and research institutes is giving a new impetus to sustainable management of Central European oak forests. The EU-funded project aims to develop and implement methodologies that will ensure the long-term conservation of forest health and biodiversity.
Pilisi Parkerdő is a key player in the joint project. It maintains and manages one of the most extensive stands of evergreen forests in Hungary, and experience and research so far show that evergreen forests present special management challenges for forest managers. Natural reproduction and the presence of trees of different sizes and ages ensure the maintenance of forest biodiversity and ecological balance.
Forest management in the Pilis and Visegrád Hills area pays particular attention to the promotion of natural regeneration and the preservation of tree diversity. Forest management practices here focus on sustainability, long-term forest health and diversity, which can serve as a model for other regions.
One of the main objectives of the initiative is to study the impact of forestry interventions, in particular clear-cutting methods. Researchers from the Slovak Technical University of Zólyom and the Hungarian Ecological Research Centre are jointly investigating the effects of different interventions on forest microclimate, biodiversity and tree regeneration capacity. This type of interdisciplinary research is essential to gain a comprehensive picture of the long-term consequences of forestry practices.
Researchers will also carry out comparative studies between evergreen forests and forests managed under conventional cutting practices. These types of comparisons can help to understand how effectively different methods can ensure sustainable productivity, ecological stability and diversity of forests.
The cooperation will invest nearly 650 million HUF to improve the sustainability of oak forests, which represents a significant step forward in forest management practices in Central Europe. The project is an important milestone not only for the professional community, but also for local communities, nature lovers and future generations whose lives will be directly affected by the condition of the forests.
