The impact of climate change on forest ecosystems in Montenegro requires significant attention from the profession and society as a whole, said the head of the Directorate for Forestry in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ranko Kankaraš, stating that degradation processes are most common in coppice forests, which cover the coastal and central parts of the country. .
Kankaraš said that forests are an ecosystem that covers almost a third of the total surface of the planet, and that in Montenegro it is a much higher percentage.
"Forests cover 70 percent of the country's territory, and therefore the impact of climate change on forests in Montenegro must receive significant attention, both from the profession and from society as a whole," said Kankaraš in an interview with the MINA agency.
Montenegro, as he said, does not have a problem with the stability of tall forests, but the degradation processes are most common in coppice stands, which cover the coastal and central parts of the country.
According to Kankaraš, climate changes are already certain and proven to affect forest ecosystems, and their impact is twofold.
Speaking about the positive impact, he said that increased air temperatures and longer vegetation periods affect the growth and development of forests, so certain forests, such as thermophilic ones that like more light, benefit from climate change in this sense.
Kankaraš said that the negative impact, which is far more pronounced, is primarily related to the processes that lead to the drying and deterioration of forests through certain types of degradation.
He said that, according to the reports of competent authorities and expert services, a fifth of Montenegrin forests are subject to various forms of degradation.
Kankaraš clarified that the drying of forests is a phenomenon that is the final stage and indicated the primary and secondary causes of the occurrence of that process.
According to Kankaraš, climate changes are certainly one of the primary causes, and their impact is reflected in the fact that they weaken the living conditions for the development of plants and forest trees.
"Various conditions, which concern a decrease in precipitation, an increase in temperature, greater evaporation of water from the forest, lead to the water regime being disrupted and the forest land having a smaller amount of water," said Kankaraš.
As he said, the secondary cause of forest drying is pests such as parasitic fungi and harmful microorganisms.
"Among other things, there are bark beetles in the coniferous forests, as one of the factors, and the most important factor is the changed climatic conditions, and they actually lead to the instability of the forests," said Kankaraš.
Speaking about the negative impacts of climate change, he stated that they also lead to the risk of the occurrence and spread of forest fires. "Forest fires are the number one enemy of our forests and they can devastate them significantly."
Answering the question of how much of a problem is the exploitation of forests, given that many see them as the best defense against climate change, Kankaraš said that the period of the last 20 years was characterized by the concessional use of forests, which, as he assessed, did not produce results either in terms of their economic valorization, nor in the direction of forest conservation.
"That's why we decided to change that concept and a new law on forests was passed, which will enter into force next year, when the concept of management will definitely change," said Kankaraš.
He said that the characteristic of the concept, which was applied for 20 years, was to take primary quality wood from forests, which is used for industrial production.
"What must change and what must be an activity in the coming period is to primarily remove trees that are in poor physiological condition and are too old from the forest. We have to move from the trend of using quality to the trend of forest care and cultivation measures, which will lead to an increase in the stability of forests in Montenegro," Kankaraš pointed out.
One of the problems, as he stated, is the illegal cutting of forests.
Kankaraš said that one of the ways to solve this problem is repressive action - prosecuting individuals who engage in illegal logging.
In that part, as he said, efforts have been made recently, but such phenomena will fundamentally change the new concept related to the establishment of a state enterprise for forest management.
Kankaraš added that this concept implies that control should be on a higher level, as well as that it requires the cooperation of several competent authorities, individuals and services, all with the aim of preventing such negative phenomena.
He stated that, according to information from the competent services, about five thousand cubic meters of wood are illegally cut down in Montenegro every year.
Answering the question of what other measures should be taken by the competent institutions, in order to reduce the ecological and economic-social consequences of eventual forest degradation, Kankaraš said that the framework of protection is much wider than the adoption of only one legal regulation.
Kankaraš reminded that Montenegro adopted the National Strategy for Sustainable Development until 2030, stating that that document contains a component related to climate change and the protection of Montenegrin natural resources.
He added that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Resources prepared a new forestry development strategy, which devotes an entire chapter to the impact of climate change on forests and forest lands.
"We have to work on adapting to climate change. So if you can't influence something in the sense of changing it, then you have to adapt. Through planning documents in forestry, we must find mechanisms to respond to such impacts," said Kankaraš.
Speaking about the measures related to the prevention of forest fires, he pointed out that the order of the forest must be taken into account, that the number of trees per hectare in tall natural stands must be brought to an optimal level.
"Infrastructure must be created, so that if a fire breaks out, we have an adequate infrastructural response and access to forests, in terms of cutting the densest parts and clearing forest roads, as well as mapping zones where the risks of forest fires are high", stressed Kankaraš.
He said that the forest management company should have units capable of extinguishing fires in all forest complexes in Montenegro.
"And that it should be based on the principle of quick action, where such mobile units will act immediately, in the phase of fire occurrence," added Kankaraš.
Answering the question of what kind of future awaits Montenegrin forests, if the projections related to rising temperatures and longer dry periods come true, he said that, generally speaking, forest areas in Montenegro will not be reduced.
As Kankaraš said, there may be horizontal and vertical movement of certain types of forests, primarily spruce.
He explained that this means that spruce forests will move to higher altitudes or disappear from certain areas, and that the place will be inhabited by thermophilic forests that can grow and develop in such areas.
Speaking about the measures that should be implemented against harmful organisms and plant diseases, Kankaraš pointed out that they must be timely and require greater involvement of the forestry profession.
"We must also take care to restore all forest areas, which have been degraded by fires or forest drying processes. Therefore, this is also one of our key tasks," said Kankaraš.
Bonus video:
