Croatia can now lay claim to having one of the largest Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forest areas in Europe.
Two million hectares of the country’s state-owned forests – 80% of the country’s forested sector – have received FSC accreditation, making it the third largest after the UK and Estonia.
More than 40% of Croatia is under forest cover and wood processing is often the mainstay of local economies. FSC certification, says the country’s forest sector, puts it in the forefront of certified hardwood timber production in Europe which will boost the local economy.
Annual timber production is 3.5 million m3 but the wood processing industry has limited capacity and local production is confined to furniture and flooring. The majority of wood industry products are exported to Italy, Austria and Germany as sawn wood.
