SVK Military Forests and Estates to grow 1 million tree seedlings this year for future generations of forests

Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “This, too, is a way how in Defence we want to contribute to supporting and preserving Slovakia′s natural riches. The growing of our own seedlings and subsequent afforestation are the way ahead for permanently sustainable care of military forests to facilitate their preservation for future generations.”

Giving foresters the recognition they deserve for woodland management and the main forestry product – timber, Director General of SVK Military Forests and Estates Ján Jurica said: “Sustainable woodland management is a long-term process associated with investment into replanting, growing and protecting woodlands. Unlike other natural resources the offer of which is finite and their use is estimated for hundreds or dozens of years, forestry and woodlands have the potential to yield products and services continually, provided that reasonable and permanently sustainable woodland management is in place. Therefore, timber represents a unique and renewable raw material source.”

The Jovsa Forest Nursery is located 125m above the sea level in the lowest-lying part of the Jovsa Forestry Authority. Its climatic location is advantageous because it allows the vegetation period to be longer for seedlings to attain desirable size, thanks to which they can be planted within a year. Currently, SVK Military Forests and Estates grows the seedlings of beech, oak and coniferous trees – European spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). The Jovsa Forest Nursery has been substantially refurbished since 2018. It now has a new automated irrigation system and a new forestry operations building. Apart from this, the forest nursery production area has been extended from 1,880m² to 3,810m², and the nursery has been equipped with essential forestry machinery equipment.