Forestry

The Czech Republic therefore occupies 12th position in the European table of forest percentage. Woodland areas are gradually increasing (by around 2000 hectares a year) in consequence of the long-term foresting of infertile agricultural land.
 
The principal share of forests in the Czech Republic is owned by the state (61.5 %). Municipalities, their forestry commissions and communities have a 17 % share in woodland ownership and private owners a 19 % share. Of the total area of woodland owned by the Czech Republic (1596.7 thousand hectares) 1340.8 thousand hectares is administered by “Lesy České republiky s.p.” (Czech Forestry Commission), 125 thousand hectares by “Vojenské lesy a statky ČR s.p.” (Army Forests and Estates of the Czech Republic), 6 thousand by the Office of the President of the Republic and 95.6 thousand hectares are administered by Správy národních parků (National Parks Administration).

According to information from the forest management plan which is decisive in determining the amount of extraction possibilities, the total stock of wood is some 672.9 million m3. The average stock per one hectare of woodland is 259.3 m3. The increase in total stocks of wood in forests in the Czech Republic continues. In contrast to 1930, the data on the total stock in our forests has more than doubled. The Czech Republic is in 2nd position in Europe in terms of wood stocks per 1 hectare and in 6th place in terms of annual increment per 1 hectare. This fact proves the massive production capital of the forests in the Czech Republic.
 
This positive situation is the result of long-term application of the principle of the permanency and equilibrium of management.