Macedonia to implement forest projects with help of Austria

Macedonia will start implementing projects for the sustainable management and environmental protection of forests with the support of Austria.

Zarko Karadzovski, director of the enterprise Makedonski Sumi that is to implement the projects, declared on Tuesday that the cooperation includes developing a strategy over the use of forest biomass as a renewable energy source.

"Austrian experts are prepared to help us in achieving higher European standards in forestry," stated Karadzovski, calling the country a "leader in the forestry field in Europe."

Ingwald Gschwandtl, director for forest policy and information at the Austrian ministry of agriculture, forestry, environment and water management, told media that "Macedonia is nearly 50-percent covered with forests and there is enormous potential for cooperation. Forests represent an important part of our economy, environment and society in general. Therefore, we have developed a specific approach that encompasses three key segments: economy, environment and management."

Gschwandtl underlined the fact that forests are not only used for economic benefit, but as well for environmental preservation.

"Austria exports wood all over the globe, mainly semi- products, annually realizing about 4.0 billion euros (4.46 billion U.S. dollars). However, we are continually working on the protection of forests from erosion, landslides etc. Forestry is one of the main pillars of tourism development since a large portion of guests come to enjoy Austria's natural beauty," said Gschwandtl.

The development of Macedonian forestry is part of the action plan for bilateral cooperation, signed recently by the foreign ministers of Macedonia and Austria, Nikola Poposki and Sebastian Kurz, according to the Macedonian Information Agency. Endit