Pro Silva Danmark

Thomas Harttung (Denmark) was head of Pro Silva Europa in the years 2000 to 2005.

With the emphasis on sustainability, Pro Silva Denmark advocates the use and cultivation of forests, which follow natural processes. Hereby it is possible to reduce both the economic and the ecological risks of the future management. Pro Silva Denmark is convinced that it is possible, depending on climate, initial state and in most stands over time to redesign the forests from the traditional practiced management to a more close-to-nature management.

Pro Silva thinks, that:

• the forestry sector in Denmark should play a more important role in today’s environmental, climate, social and business policy
• the forests are an important ecological and landscape feature
• the forestry industry must be perceived as important for the benefit of significant societal benefits and needs.
• the forestry industry - the private as well as the public – must, in order to fulfill its role, be founded on sustainability, that is, an equal prioritization of social, biological and economic objectives
• responsible management and utilization of timber and natural resources of our forests are important parameters
• the goals for the forest management and utilization can be weighted differently depending on the owner, but should be clearly and unambiguously stated in the weighted missions as well as visions of the companies and institutions

Furthermore, Pro Silva emphasizes that:

• there is a long transition phase between the traditionally driven forestry to purely natural forests
• a large number of forestry systems, going from plenterwald over group operation to smaller stands clear cuts, can be accommodated in the nature-related forestry.
• close-to-nature managed forests are not compatible with the use of chemistry.
• the most important parameter in the nature-oriented management is the conservation of the forest climate.
• the nature-oriented forestry manifests itself differently depending on soil and climate.
• the tree selection must depend on local conditions and experiences and future expectations.
• resident tree species can be optimal, but the experience of the last couple of years has shown great variation in their resilience. Natural forests are therefore not incompatible with the introduction of foreign tree species - the latter must be seen in connection with an expected change of our climate
• there is a strong need for increased research / experience gathered in the close-to-nature managed forests

Foto gallery from Integrate Meeting in Rold Forest (C) 2019 E.Senitza