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Green areas and urban forests represent important factors of urbanized environment which attracts more and more attention of forest management and silviculture. Recreational load and its types are the most important driving variable for the management framework in which basic silvicultural methods should be applied. The problem of the required combination of natural and social limits is resolved by a matrix which takes into account forest ecosystem quality and recreation. The matrix defines 9 or 27 units (their number depends on the fact if we take into account the age of stand or not) for which basic management rules could be prepared. The basic rules concerning biological aspects are described in a general way in the article.

The article deals with economic aspects of sustainable forest management. The analysis stems from Plíva's typological system. Several hundreds of variants were calculated for forest silviculture profitability classified according to management intensity, target management system, proportion of ameliorating and improving species, proportion of natural regeneration, and set of forest types. The results show a possibility of labour saving and also marked differentiation of the effect of wood production function depending on natural and production conditions and management intensity.

This paper deals with transformation of pure even-aged forest stands to uneven-aged irregular stands on an example of the Klokočná Forest Range. The fully operational management system according to principles of shelterwood or selection systems has been executed here since 1993. An investigation of this transformation process started in 1999 and it is focused on the places with more distinct structural differences. On the basis of research analysis, it is possible to consider about the permanent uneven-aged forest stands in future here. But for successful achievement of this goal it is necessary to continue this transformation step by step for a long time. The transformation is still at the beginning and its result depends on the effort and the forest management goal and the priority of the particular forest functions.

The effects of soil conditioners Frisol, TerraCottem, Bi-algeen, and fertilisers Silvamix Forte and Cererit on the welfare of Austrian pine were observed in a seven-year experiment on Loket spoil bank. Simultaneously the economic aspects of growing the Austrian pine until the stage of established plantation were examined. The application of products one year and a half after planting did not cause seedling mortality. The elongation growth of young plants conditioned by the application of Silvamix Forte and Frisol was statistically significant whereas these effects manifested themselves in the second year: they persisted till the end of the experiment for Silvamix Forte, and for three years in total for Frisol. The other products - TerraCottem, Bi-algeen and Cererit - also showed generally better, though statistically insignificant results as compared to those of the control plants. The elongation growth for all products culminated in the fifth year and then declined. The stem diameter growth for the best products reached its maximum in the second year. Regarding the overall height growth after seven years, the average number of the highest plants on the experiment location was on plots treated with Silvamix Forte; these plants exceeded the control plants by 46.2 cm. Pines treated with Frisol were higher by 23.4 cm. However, the application of soil conditioners and fertilisers to the given location proved economically ineffective because there was no need to improve the soil at the location, the same applies to mowing and hoeing since almost no forest weed grew there and the substrate surface remained well-aerated and porous.

The objective of the paper is taxonomic evaluation of a woodland grape individual found near the Dyje river. The finders (Vicherek et al. 2000) determined the liana as Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris. Based on microscopic observations of bud sections some doubts were cast on the classification to the subspecies of sylvestris. Correct determination will be possible only on the basis of further observations of the found individual and its comparison with real members of the taxon (Čenkov, SR).

The basic feature of an economic reform of the forestry in the Czech Republic after 1990 was separation of supervision in the state forests from operating performance. The Forests of the Czech Republic, state enterprise, was charged with management and supervision, hence economic activities of the subject are provided on the basis of contracts by entrepreneurial units called contractors in the forestry. The purpose of the paper is economic analysis of the Forests of the Czech Republic, state enterprise, in the period 1998-2002. The objective is the construction and testing of an elementary method of financial analysis as well as outline of financial situation and development of the chosen subject generally. The paper contributes to branch economy analysis, common in agriculture and wood-processing industry.

During the construction of model logging costs for valuation of forest stands, by accident I found out differences between some species included in the groups of tree species. Differences within the groups of species may cause errors in logging costs of some species, for example with hornbeam, all species of linden, all species of rowans and horse chestnut. With the help of simple calculations it was proved that the differences could be very large, that they were more than forty per cent, it means they were significant. On the basis of my further research it is envisaged to increase the number of groups of trees from 13 to 16. The purpose is to give the most accurate background to make up a model of logging costs. In the second step it is expected that the model can provide the results for more or fewer groups of trees more easily if statistical methods are used. But this problem is not a part of this paper.

Rare forest tree species that are necessary for the domestic processing industry, especially for the furniture industry, currently occur as scattered trees in many forest stands in theCzechRepublic. For their harvest and supply to the processing industry it is necessary to measure their dimensions and growing stock. Logging technologies are proposed that will enable to harvest and transport this scattered wood mass to buyers. These technologies and used conveyances must not cause any damage either to forest soil or to adjacent stands and they should be economic, i.e. increased costs of processing must be covered by selling price.

One of the major issues of all analysis techniques in information engineering is to capture the intelligible description of processes in the modeled problem. This need is very significant for information systems supporting modern industries and also information systems related to the agriculture and hydrology. In this area, process modeling forms the basis of Business Process Reengineering as a pre-step for subsequent information system analysis, design and implementation. It provides an essential tool to enable software developers, consultants and business users to collaborate to ensure that the necessary understanding of the business context is available to the software developers. In this paper, practically used technique and methodology for process modeling arousing out of software development methodologies will be discussed. The main described method - BORM (Business and Object Relation Modeling), is a result of own research supported by the Know-how Fund of the British Council.

The paper presents a new system of tradable permits combined with ecological bonds that is able to promote environment-friendly logging technologies, supposed to be less harmful to the forest ecosystem. All loggers deposit in advance ecological bonds on to-be-harvested volume basis and a certain number of permits to damage is freely given per each cubic meter, by the public authority. After surveying the damage caused throughout all harvested tracts, the number of permits on the volume basis is recomputed for each logger according to the magnitude and importance of damage caused. The logging company that caused smallest damage and saved most permits is allowed to sell to another competitor the number of permits which makes the difference between the two companies. The main section of the paper presents five simulations based on reliable scenarios that have been developed on some effective data referring to two types of damage produced by seven Romanian logging companies in 1999, in Suceava state county forest. Firstly, the deterministic scenario shows that environment-friendly companies become more competitive due to the new system because they have an additional income from sold permits. Conversely, companies unable to protect the environment are to pay more for being in business and thus their capacity to buy more timber is diminished. Assuming that companies able to get money due to this kind of trade are also able to improve their technology and can afford to buy more timber, it was demonstrated that the technological transfer is encouraged by the new system that might be combined with a regular compensation paid to the landowner as well. The greater the bond, the more advantageous the system for fewer and fewer companies. The lower the bond, the more companies can take advantage of the system but less money is collected from a given market.

In any activity, thus at work as well, there is an influence of the environment on a human being. This environment, to which every worker has his own individual relationship, becomes a part and background of the worker's life. The realization of these interactions and relationships markedly affects achieved working results. The ecologically harmless technologies will not be used in forestry considerately towards the environment if forestry workers do not change their negative attitudes to their environment. In this project we tried to map out environmental knowledge of forestry workers.

The article is devoted to problems of forestry financing in the Czech Republic in the period of transition to market economy (1991-1999). The policy of forestry financing is aimed above all at the provision and improvement of quality of sustainable non-market forest goods and services. Thirty programmes and 46 sub-programmes were analysed in the CR in 1991-1999. The level of financial support ranged from 909.4 mil. CZK to 1,501.7 CZK with the exception of 2,540.1 mil. CZK in 1991 (all in stable 1999 prices). On average, the support amounted to about 10% of the GDP created by the forestry sector in the given period.

Micro-hardness was used for the study of wood structure (Norway spruce) in the line perpendicular to tree rings (radial surface). The steel indentor 0.25 mm in diameter with flat head was used for this purpose. The individual penetration tests were performed at constant velocity 0.0167 mm/sinto a depth of 0.3 mm. Local wood strength was defined as the mean pressure on the indentor head at 0.02 mm penetration. The set of tests (~ 320) gave information about stress variation in dependence on the location of the test place in the tested surface. The stress was understood as a parameter describing the growth properties of wood similarly like the density usually used in dendrochronology. The measured strength variation is in agreement with visually observed tree rings. The acquired data made it possible to determine the mean characteristic points of the tree ring as well as the development of the parameters in dependence on the weather variations.

The paper is focused on logistics. The importance of the logistic chain management is emphasized as it becomes a crucial competitive success factor. The total corporate costs and customer service quality are dependent on the structure and communication within this chain. Using a concrete example, several results of the establishment of the logistic approach in the woodworking industry are mentioned in the paper. It has to be emphasized that the application of the logistic principles in the industry has its own specificities arising mainly from the biological character of processes providing and manufacturing the basis resource. A solution of the supply - purchase chain is provided on the basis of an example of the company Dřevovýroba.

Various attacks of pathogenic fungi on the larch crown were observed in Trentino/South Tyrol, Italy, over the past few years. In 1999, severe defoliation was caused by Mycosphaerella laricina, a rarely investigated pathogen, whose action was enhanced by high temperatures and humidity in August. In July 2000, larch woods showed crown yellowing due to Meria laricis. Lower temperatures and heavy precipitation were probably the predisposing factors in this case. Hypodermella laricis was observed in 2002 as a localised attack, while Lachnellula wilkommii is commonly recorded. The impact of these diseases and the environmental factors involved in their occurrence are discussed in this paper.

In changing growth conditions, methodical procedures should concentrate on the investigation of processes currently under way in forests. Many studies have shown that present models of forest growth parameters differ from previous surveys as far as for instance the height is concerned. Causes of these phenomena have not been satisfactorily explained although various hypotheses are investigated. In our study, we present partial results of the investigation of height growth within a sixty-five-year period, based on the analysis of data obtained from seven forest management plans in the management-plan area of Kostelec nad Černými lesy (Kostelec n. Č. l.) and continuous measurements on pilot research plots in the period of 1965-1994. The comparison of mean height growth curves obtained by the curve fitting of the values of empirical data signifies by their different course and increasing kurtosis a dependence on the calendar year when the measure was taken. It signifies an increasing height growth trend of both species in the given area.

The basic principle from which the Czech National Forestry Programme proceeds is the management of forests in a permanently sustainable manner whilst limiting the administrative interference of the state to the unavoidable minimum under the circumstances of the motivating operation of state forestry policy for the support of public interests and whilst increasing the responsibility of forest owners for their property. The National Forestry Programme is supposed to be an interdepartmental and intersectoral programme respecting not only the needs for the branch development of forest management, but also emphasising the place of forests in the environment and landscape creation, non-production functions of forests, the importance of the forest as a renewable source of ecologically advantageous raw material and the significance of the use and processing of wood for the economy of the country and thus for the society as such. The first idea of National Forestry Programme has been presented in 1993. The current version of the Programme has been conceived for the period 2003-2006. In addition to the basic information about the current state of forests and forestry management in the Czech Republic, it contains chapters with themes focussing on forestry problem issues.

This paper gives an overview of Czech forestry policy and legislation since the beginning of changes in the CEEC plus developments and activities of the main forestry institutions. These activities are referred to in the background material given for the political transition period and also related to the Pan-European and global forestry processes. The philosophy of forestry in the Czech Republic is based on the international framework set out by the first Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe and also in conjunction with the preparation of the Czech Republic for accession to the European Union. National and regional forest programmes are aimed at implementing the principles of sustainable forest management and a broad range of stakeholders from the forestry and environment sectors has been involved in its preparation. The current situation and main problems of forestry are given along with basic principles on how to solve such problems and also on how to fulfil obligations to future generations, and international commitments.

A short introduction of historical overview and current situation refer to forestry problems of the country. Local climate is characterized and impacts of natural phenomena are described, as well as the impacts of human beings. The influence of forest management is mentioned and discussed in relation to latest catastrophic floods. The territory of the Czech Republic is damaged especially by a high intensity of atmospheric precipitation abnormal values which lead to a local or regional damage. In the catchment areas of torrents, damage leads to faster soil erosion, development of ravines, landslides, moving of soil sediments and their deposition, devastation of watercourse beds and properties, flooding while the flooding rates of flow represent a danger for the life of inhabitants. Important elements and results of respective research are described in brief. E.g. research of precipitation and its relation to the runoffs in the small mountain catchment areas with the forest stands restoration, as well as the forestry-hydrologic monitoring of forest environment, which has been taking place since 1928, and tradition of the service for torrent control. Forestry-hydrologic research gradually documents that a favorable flood-control performance of forest is limited. However, this is not a reason for not taking care of flood-control measures in the mountain afforested areas. These measures and importance of forest for the protection of land are historically verified and justified. In closing the mankind behavior to the landscape is underlined as a question mark.

Power saws require a relatively large amount of oil for their operation the reason being idle lubrication of the cutting chain. Oil leakages in the environment can result in soil and water contamination and are known to impact both flora and fauna. Many countries in Europe struggle to minimize the damage by imposing the use of biologically degradable oils for these purposes. The work presents an assessment of these biologically degradable oils from the viewpoint of their possible occurrence in environment and from the viewpoint of their technical characteristics which affect reliability and economy of working with power saws. Oil dispersion is evaluated especially from the viewpoint of the concentration of its occurrence on the soil surface after cutting with the power saw. Technical properties evaluated include heat-oxidation stability and pumping properties of oils at low temperatures. There are original methods of measurement developed for these purposes, which facilitate high repeatability of results. The effort aims at oils with core technical parameters at least comparable with mineral oils used so far, which would represent a lesser burden on natural environment.

Methods were elaborated that would specify factors affecting the accuracy of the output of LANDSAT satellite images used to evaluate the dynamics of changes in the health condition of birch stands. In the period of investigations, in 1994-2000, the foliage of birch stands was very thin as a consequence of the large-scale absence of flushing in 1997. The output of this method is also specification of the degree of foliage of birch trees based on the altitude, stand age and forest site types in the air-polluted area of the Krušné hory Mts. (Northern Bohemia). These methods can be applied to other broadleaved stands.

Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa Mill. is an introduced species in the Czech Republic. It is recorded roughly from 300 localities. To the end of 2002, the occurrence of chestnut was verified at about 140 macrolocalities. The most northern locality recorded so far was Choustníkovo Hradiště in the region of Hradec Králové. Chestnuts occur generally to an altitude of 500 m (80% of all examined localities), at higher altitudes they suffer from climatic extremes particularly late frosts. The occurrence of chestnut was recorded at 27 localities (ca. 20% localities under investigation) where altitudes exceed 500 m. The highest location of chestnut is locality Nejdek, Karlovy Vary District where chestnut trees thrive at an altitude of 678 m. At altitudes over 600 m, two other localities were recorded. The health condition of chestnut is relatively good. At some localities, however, crown drying occurs as a result of not quite ideal climatic conditions. Within our research, quarantine Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr. was determined for the first time in the Czech Republic at the only examined locality.

Models evaluating static stability (resistance to breaking or uprooting of trees caused by wind, snow or ice) of forest stands in the seventh altitudinal vegetation zone were determined. The empirical material came from 180 research plots (High Tatra and Low Tatra Mountains) established within the research project Research on methods for mountain forest management based on sustainable Development. Static stability was characterized by the slenderness ratio that was calculated from the mean height and diameter of target trees. Then the particular forest stands were categorized with regard to slenderness ratio, mean diameter and absolute site class using either tables or graphic models. Particularly, four static stability classes were made up: 1 - very good, 2 - good, 3 - sufficient, and 4 - insufficient. Practical application of the models is shown for forest stands grown in the area of Vajsková and Lomnistá valleys.

An analysis was made of the present situation concerning game appreciation in the Czech Republic. A study was conducted into effective laws and regulations related to the valuation of nature. There is no legally binding directive for game appreciation in the Czech Republic at the present time. A questionnaire method (Contingent Valuation Method - CVM) was used to survey the activities of all 87 authorised experts in game management currently registered in the Czech Republic. It was found out that the game is appreciated as property, which contradicts to its legal status (res nullius). The most frequently used methods of game appreciation are a yield (demand) method and a comparative method. It is necessary to establish legal conditions under which the social value of all game species and other wildlife could be determined in order to ensure their survival and to strengthen the tools of their protection. The legislation in force authorises the Ministries of Agriculture and of the Environment of the Czech Republic to issue a relevant decree.

In 2001, galls were analysed of Pemphigus spyrothecae Pass. taken in one- to three-week intervals from Populus nigra and P. nigra var. italica at 4 localities in Brno. Fundatrices matured in the first half of June and during the first half of summer produced about 50 offsprings. Virgines produced about 10 offsprings which grew up in winged sexuparae. The winged individuals started to occur in galls from the beginning of August. In galls with intact development, on average 500 aphids developed. Galls with intact development on P. nigra var. italica reached larger average dimensions and contained at least by 4% more aphids than galls on P. nigra. About 5% of fundatrices died already in the 1st instar and other 3 to 6% in higher instars by the beginning of reproduction. At localities under investigation, 7.5 to 39.0% of galls on P. nigra and 3.9 to 13.7% of galls on P. nigra var. italica were occupied by the fly Leucopis puncticornis Meig. (Chamaemyiidae). About 24.3 to 32.2% of galls on P. nigra and 23.3 to 49.3% of galls on P. nigra var. italica were occupied by the bug Anthocoris minki Dohrn (Anthocoridae). Hover flies Heringia heringi (Zett.) and Pipiza festiva Meig. (Syrphidae) killing aphids in 3.8 to 30.4% of galls on P. nigra and 6.5 to 6.8% of galls on P. nigra var. italica were an important regulator. In August (i.e. at the beginning of the formation of winged sexuparae), the majority of galls opened through primary slit-shaped or oval emergence holes. A part (7.8 to 19.5%) of galls with so far intact development, however, remained closed and all aphids contained in them died. Diseases (particularly mycoses) often participated in the accelerated dying of aphids. The effect of mortality factors on the gall size differentiation was evaluated in details. The galls do not cause any leaf area reduction. In the case of mass outbreak, they decrease decorativeness of poplars in street alleys. In August and September, liquid excrements fall out from the galls (honeydew) polluting the environment in villages and housing estates.

The objectives of this study are to determine a trend of the radial growth at breast height (b.h.) and to compare the radial growth of trees of younger and older generations in the XX century for fir (Abies alba Mill.), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the Świętokrzyski National Park. In the investigated area fir, 41 to 200-300 years of age at breast height, gradually regenerated its radial growth after a very strong decline during 1971-1990, and most likely the process of vitality reduction and death of its stands of various age is slowly coming to an end. Pine showed a systematic decrease in the radial increment during 1885-1994, and there were no distinct symptoms indicating a change of this unfavourable trend. Beech showed no significant decrease in the radial increment during 1885-1994. In the Świętokrzyski National Park the differences in the radial growth between younger and older generations were noticeable only in the case of beech. The radial growth of trees of different ages was very similar in the case of fir and pine.

The article deals with issues of non-market forest services. There is a persistent issue complicating the quantification of adequate subsidy to forest owners - non-existence of market with such forest services. Forest services financing can be made objective by implementation of the following steps: 1. Earmarking of non-market forest services that are becoming market subjects gradually. 2. Earmarking of non-market forest services that create a secondary product of wood production function. 3. Quantification of demand for services. 4. Quantification of costs necessary to cover the demand for those forest services. 5. Quantification of losses caused to forest owners by restricting their economic activities.