Role of Landowners in New Forest Legislation

Abstract

"Approximately 50% of the forests in Western Europe are privately owned, less than 30% areas are state forests and around 20% are communal forestlands. In Central and Eastern Europe, the restitution of ownership rights leads to a considerable increase of private and communal forest holdings. In the Community of Independent States (CIS Countries), it remains to be seen to what extent restitution and privatisation processes will change the existing public ownership pattern. Based on the constitutional right of ownership it is primarily the responsibility of the landowners to decide to what extent they are able and willing to provide goods and services. They are not obliged to carry incremental costs without compensation for forestry benefits resulting from demands of user groups and the public, which have been incorporated into new forest legislation. Forest policy and legislation have to regulate the financial dimensions of costs and benefits in sustainable resources management. Legal provisions that balance rights and responsibilities in private and public land management are indispensable in order to generate an optimal combination of benefits from sustainable forest management." Author Key Words: Land Tenure, Forests Ownership, Forest Law, Forestry Investment, Multiple Use Forest Management.