Common-Pool Resources in Central Europe: Case study of Forestry in the Slovak Republic

Abstract

"Forests are one of the most typical long-enduring common pool resources all around the world. Forests were effectively managed not only as a private property, but as a common resource too for centuries also in the region of Central Europe, including the area of the present Slovak Republic. At the present time, forests cover more than 40 % of area of the Slovak Republic and they are considered to be one of the essential and most important components of the environment and one of the greatest nature treasures. One of the most important problems of forest policy and legislation as well as forestry practice is the issue of forest property rights. The paper analyses the origin and history of common property of forest resources in the region of Slovakia in the past. Due to the fact that the forest property regimes have significantly changed from the one to the other especially in the 20th century, the changes in ownership structure and common property of forest resources in the 20th century in the region of Slovakia are discussed - social, political and economic reasons for the institutional changes in forest property rights regimes are covered in the paper. As common property of forests is still a relevant type of property regimes in the Slovak conditions, the present legal status of common property of forest resources in the Slovak Republic is analysed. Moreover, the present problems of management and use of common property of forest resources in the Slovak Republic arising from the conflicts between interests of the forest owners (local communities) and interests of the society (the State) in the field of nature/environment protection are discussed."