Department of Forestry

Head of Department: Ph.D. Lukrecija Butorac

Forest experimental station in Split was united with the Institute in 1962. The research programme was expanded to the problems of forest on Adriatic area and amelioration of degraded forest areas on karst. Possibilities and methods of forest amelioration on karst, basic parameters of erosion, biologic and growing possibilities of forest species, introduction of new forest species and phytologic research of vegetation on karst have been undertaken. In this way scientific research of erosion and amelioration of agricultural and forest areas were united. The research resulted in numerous studies of environmental development plans on entire Adriatic. The main aim of these studies is, on basis of economic, ecologic and human factors, to give an optimal place and purpose of agricultural and forest areas, coordinating the purpose with general economic development in that area.

The important activity of the staff is the study of the history of forestry of Dalmatia, researsch of the basis and programme of management of forest and forest areas on karst and long planning program of development of Dalmatian forestry. In recent year the department has been working on projects of impact of forest vegetation on karst in the protection of soil from erosion, management of karst forests for cattle, protection and improvement of biomass production in the role of multifunctional functions of forest, choice of forest species and methods for karst afforestastion, the impact of grazing and browsing of goats on devastation of forest vegetation and soil degradation on karst, the research of biomass on forest ecosystems on Mediterranean karst area. For realisation of the research experimental plots on karst have been founded.