Characteristics and drivers of forest cover change in the post-socialist era in Croatia : evidence from a mixed-methods approach

Cvitanovic, Marin and Blackburn, George Alan and Jepsen, Martin Rudbeck (2016) Characteristics and drivers of forest cover change in the post-socialist era in Croatia : evidence from a mixed-methods approach. Regional Environmental Change, 16 (6). pp. 1751-1763. ISSN 1436-3798

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Abstract

Extensive forests in Croatia represent an important biological and economic resource in Europe. They are characterised by heterogeneity in forest management practices dating back to the socialist planned economy of the pre-1991 era. In this study we investigated the difference in rates of deforestation and reforestation in private- and state-owned forests during the post-socialist period and the causal drivers of change. The selected region of Northern Croatia is characterised by a high percentage of privately owned forests with minimal national monitoring and control. We used a mixed-methods approach which combines remote sensing, statistical modelling and a household-based questionnaire survey to assess the rates of forest cover change and factors influencing those changes. The results show that predominantly privately owned forests in Northern Croatia have recorded a net forest loss of 1.8 % during the 1991–2011 period, while Croatia overall is characterised by a 10 % forest cover increase in predominantly state-owned forests. Main factors influencing forest cover changes in private forests are slope, altitude, education structure, population age and population density. The results also show that the deforestation in private forests is weakening overall, mostly due to the continuation of the de-agrarisation and de-ruralisation processes which began during socialism.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Regional Environmental Change
Additional Information:
The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-0928-0
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2306
Subjects:
?? post-socialismeastern europeforest managementdeforestationprivate forestsmixed-methods researchglobal and planetary change ??
ID Code:
81045
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
18 Aug 2016 08:56
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
31 Dec 2023 00:43