11 / 311
[
] 12
Božidar Pankreti
ć,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development,
Forestry and Water Management, Republic of Croatia
“Lucky are nations sharing their lives with forests, even luckier are those who appreciate the wealth they
possess,” said Josip Kozarac, esteemed Croatian writer and forester, in the late 19th century. He was a
modern-day visionary, which can be clearly seen by the fact that more than a century later, in the year
2011, in which we celebrate the International Year of Forests under the motto ‘Forests for People’, these
words have not lost their meaning and relevance, standing as evidence of a strong connection between
forests and people as well as the great influence that forests have on all segments of our lives.
Encouraged precisely by these thoughts, the Republic of Croatia has launched the initiative to declare the
International Year of Forests. It has been our wish to step up efforts to promote sustainable forest management,
as well as development and conservation of forests worldwide. Therefore, we are very excited that this useful
Forests for People
publication is being issued, as it will permanently record the experience of many experts in the
field of sustainable forest management and convey the message that sustainable development and sustainable
management are the only true foundations for the future and prosperity of all people on the planet.
We therefore hope that the book
Forests for People
, particularly in today’s world when global forest
ecosystems are under tremendous pressure, will help ease the path towards the development of a number of
forest policies and strategies worldwide which will be based on principles of sustainability.
Božidar Pankreti
ć
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development,
Forestry and Water Management, Republic of Croatia