PAST AND RECENT COPPICE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN SOME REGIONS OF SOuTh EASTERN EuROPE

High diversity of site conditions and vegetation patterns in South Eastern Europe (SEE), accompanied by different socio-cultural background of countries, has produced a wealth of diverse coppice stands and a variety of management practices. The paper provides an overview on past and recent coppice forest management in four selected countries in SEE: Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia, in which coppice forestry has been of significant importance. The following main coppice forest types have been recognised in respect to their past management and current condition: (i) traditional coppice forests; (ii) 'high coppice' forests; (iii) coppice forests for transformation and reconstruction; (iv) coppice forests with standards and 'middle-aged' forests; (v) pollarding forests; (vi) selection coppice forests; (vii) shelterbelts (windbreaks, erosion shelterbelts, etc); (viii) oak coppices for shelling; and (ix) coppice forests subjected to no management. The paper emphasizes the contribution of sustainable management of coppice forest resources to ecological stability and economic development of SEE, which could be achieved by both considering the traditional management concepts and introducing new ecologically, economically and socially sound management practices.