FORESTS IN SLOVAK REPUBLIC, FORESTS IN EUROPE 
The area of forest land resources has been growing in a long term. Now is forest area found from National forest inventory (2005-2006) about 2,173 thousands ha and share of forest is 44.3±1 % from total land area. Forests are in accordance with valid forestry legislation classified by their function into commercial, protective and special purpose forests. Present state and development of forest categories is about 2/3 of commercial forest, 1/6 protective forests and 1/6 forests with special purpose. Category of protective forests includes stands with prevailing protective (ecological) functions. Protective forests are being declared on extraordinarily unfavourable sites, in high mountainous locations, in the zone of dwarf pine for securing soil protection and others.
In general, Slovak forests are diverse with a relatively balanced tree species composition, white
Share of Slovak forest is about 45 % from total land |
beech covers the highest proportion of the area (1/3). Follow species as spruce (1/4), oaks (1/10), fir, larch, hornbeam, maple, ash, and other broadleaved trees. Not only favourable total tree species composition but particularly species diversity in respective forest stands is an indicator of stability degree and forests resistance. The area of the forest stands according to the degree of mixing coniferous and broadleaved tree species provides an overview on species diversity of forest stands. In Slovakia, broadleaved forests dominate (they cover approximately 50 %), while pure coniferous stands (with the proportion of coniferous tree species equal to or greater than 90 %) cover only 20 %. The proportion of coniferous and broadleaved tree species in individual regions corresponds approximately with the average values for the whole country.
