A Forest Commons Revival in Slovenia

• Published in: Society & natural resources Vol. 27; no. 8; pp. 867 - 881
• Main Authors: Bogataj, Nevenka, Krč, Janez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis Group 01-08-2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Common Lands; common pool resources; Conservation; forest common/community; Forest conservation; Forest management; Forestry; Forests; Indigenous culture; Indigenous Populations; Interpersonal relations; Legislation; Management; Native peoples; Natural resource management; Ownership; Property; Resource Management; Rural development; Slovenia; Social cohesion; Slovenia
• ISSN: 0894-1920; 1521-0723
• DOI: 10.1080/08941920.2014.918225

Forest commons in Slovenia are a poorly known indigenous institution for common resource management. They are a functional entity linked to a specific community that establishes interpersonal and intergenerational ties, as well as a link to the resource. We refer to shared ownership of resource, once made of pastures; today forests prevail. Collective property management remained despite community changes and legislation development. Today registered forest commons represent approximately one-third of those that existed before 1945. We highlight seven developmental turns to explain their revival. Six indicators are used in the analysis of current conditions. Forest commons are a potentially effective response to forest management challenges in Slovenia but also a potential model of social cohesion, rational resource use, and a balance between forest use and conservation. However, they are plagued by state ignorance, which hinders statistically sound analyses.