1. Efficient forest policy design under the EU Green Deal : aligning ecosystem service potential with public valuesKaja Plevnik, Anže Martin Pintar, Anže Japelj, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: The efficient implementation of forest-related policies under the European Green Deal requires assessing the capacity of ecosystems to deliver ecosystem services (ES) and involving stakeholders in the decision-making process. Public involvement ensures that policies align with local needs, relevant ES are identified, ES supply is optimised, and acceptance of measures is increased. We conducted a nationwide public survey (n = 813) in Slovenia, consisting of three sections: (1) knowledge and perceptions related to ES and the bioeconomy, (2) a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to elicit preferences for possible changes in the supply of forest ES and products based on them (FPS) that support the strategic objectives of the EU Green Deal, and (3) questions on socio-demographics, lifestyle, and consumer behaviour. The results of the DCE, together with respondents’ place of residence using Moran’s I statistic, allowed us to identify areas of distinct preferences (ADP), either positive or negative, for FPS. Based on biophysical indicators, we assessed the potential supply of FPS within and outside ADP and found statistically significant differences. Then we compared potential supply with public preferences (demand) for FPS, which yielded several findings, most notably three cases where higher potential supply of FPS within the ADP coincided with positive preferences in the same ADP: high-quality wood, strictly protected forests, and forest tourism involving non-owners. In all these cases, mobilising additional FPS would benefit communities within the ADP (meeting allocative efficiency), and their high potential supply makes this feasible as well (meeting resource use efficiency).
Keywords: forest ecosystem services, public preferences, potential ES supply, spatial matching, EU forest-related policies, policy efficiency
Published in DiRROS: 09.04.2026; Views: 83; Downloads: 37
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2. Development and testing of an innovative model for managing ecosystems in the Rački ribniki–Požeg landscape parkAnže Japelj, Andreja Ferreira, Andrej Kobler, Anže Martin Pintar, Kaja Plevnik, Pia Höfferle, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: The article presents the process of designing and testing an ecosystem-based governance model (EBGM). The EBGM is an innovative and highly participatory approach to addressing management challenges in protected areas. The implementation of the EBGM makes it possible to define a management approach that seeks to balance the interests of various stakeholders, ensure the long-term availability of ecosystem services, and meet the conservation goals of nature protection in important areas. The study focused on Natura 2000 sites affected by climate change (altered precipitation patterns, higher temperatures, more frequent natural disturbances, the spread of invasive alien species, etc.) while also facing management challenges (conflicting stakeholder interests, lack of management capacity, preparation of management plans, etc.). The EBGM consists of six elements, representing phases in the search for shared governance solutions. It incorporates seven fundamental principles and three key management dimensions. The model was developed iteratively and tested in practice through two participatory workshops involving key stakeholders of the Rački ribniki–Požeg Landscape Park, which, at the time of the study, was undergoing a revision of its protection act and the preparation of a management plan. The outcomes of testing the EBGM included the establishment of a stakeholder network, an assessment of the park’s importance for nature conservation and provision of ecosystem services, an evaluation of past and future development trends, and the delineation of management zones for the entire area of the park. The EBGM is sufficiently flexible to be applied in other contexts and under different ecosystem management regimes.
Keywords: ecosystem services, protected areas, spatial analysis, participatory approach, ecosystem governance model, management zones
Published in DiRROS: 27.02.2026; Views: 255; Downloads: 154
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3. Končno poročilo analize stanja ekosistemskih storitev in ocene ogroženosti s predlogi ukrepovPia Höfferle, Anže Japelj, Anže Martin Pintar, Andreja Ferreira, Mišo Andjelov, Peter Frantar, 2025, final research report Keywords: ekosistemske storitve, raba prostora, kras, Komen
Published in DiRROS: 19.02.2026; Views: 301; Downloads: 0
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4. The role of policymakers and businesses in advancing the forest-based bioeconomy : perceptions, challenges, and opportunitiesKaja Plevnik, Anže Japelj, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: We examined the positions of policymakers and businesses on the forest-based bioeconomy (FBE) in Slovenia, focusing on the importance of forest ecosystem services within the FBE. We also explored how businesses perceive their market potential and the role of payments for ecosystem services (PES) schemes in strengthening the FBE. We conducted interviews with 35 policymakers from the fields of forestry, the wood industry, the environment, and tourism, as well as with 24 business representatives from primary wood production, the wood industry, and forest tourism. Respondents identified fragmented land ownership (mean score on a 1–5 scale = 4.19), the lack of a strategic framework (4.12), and inefficient use of woody biomass (4.08) as key challenges to implementing the FBE in Slovenia. They highlighted knowledge transfer (4.54), investment support (4.47), and raising environmental awareness (4.44) as the main forms of state support for the FBE, while unfamiliarity with PES appears to contribute to its neglect. No significant sectoral differences were observed among policymakers regarding PES involvement; however, they viewed their role mainly in the design phase of PES and least in the phases of coordination and establishment. Greater interest in participating in PES was expressed by forest tourism businesses, despite perceiving lower market potential than those in primary wood production and the wood industry. The evident heterogeneity of stakeholder positions on the FBE calls for strong coordination and a transparent policy process involving all stakeholder coalitions to establish a coherent national strategy for the FBE. The results highlighted policymakers’ limited governance capacity and reluctance to fully implement PES as a potential solution for strengthening the FBE. The differing motivations of businesses regarding PES underscore the need for a nuanced, sector-specific approach to foster broader engagement.
Keywords: forest-based bioeconomy, forest ecosystem services, stakeholders’ positions, policymakers, businesses, payments for ecosystem services, PES, market potential
Published in DiRROS: 28.01.2026; Views: 329; Downloads: 211
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