The certificate confirming the ratification of full membership was jointly presented by EUSTAFOR Executive Director Piotr Borkowski and Hrvatske šume Management Board President Joško Radanović.
Radanović stressed the significance of the membership for Croatian forestry, describing it as an important international recognition of Croatia’s model of sustainable forest management, which is rooted in more than 260 years of organised forestry tradition.
By joining EUSTAFOR, he said, Croatia has further confirmed the continuity of that tradition and its modern relevance in addressing today’s challenges, including climate change, biodiversity conservation and the development of the bioeconomy.
"Through EUSTAFOR membership, Croatia strengthens its role within the European forestry sector and actively contributes to shaping EU policies on sustainable natural resource management and protection,"Radanović said.
Borkowski said the accession of Hrvatske šume as a full member was an important step not only for Croatia but also for EUSTAFOR itself, as the association gains a strong and experienced partner from a country with a long-standing tradition of sustainable forest management and a high share of well-preserved natural ecosystems.
He underlined the role of state-owned forests in Europe in tackling climate change, safeguarding biodiversity and delivering social and economic benefits to citizens.
With its expertise, practices and responsible approach, Hrvatske šume can make a significant contribution to the shared European goal of developing resilient, multifunctional and sustainably managed forests, Borkowski said.
According to the statement, Croatia’s accession to full EUSTAFOR membership represents a strategic step comparable to joining key European and Euro-Atlantic institutions. For the first time, Croatian forestry gains a direct and institutionally strong voice in shaping European policies on forests, climate, biodiversity and the bioeconomy.
EUSTAFOR brings together 39 state forestry organisations from 28 European countries, jointly managing around 60 million hectares of forest, or nearly 30% of the European Union’s total forest area.
The association oversees approximately 55 million hectares of forest, including 18 million hectares of protected forests, 11 million hectares of protective forests and around 11 million hectares of Natura 2000 sites.
EUSTAFOR members generate an annual forest increment of about 275 million cubic metres, harvest around 140 million cubic metres per year, employ approximately 130,000 people and manage the largest certified forest areas in Europe under schemes such as PEFC and FSC.
Speakers at the ceremony noted that a climate-resilient Europe is not possible without active, knowledge-based and publicly accountable forest management, and that full EUSTAFOR membership positions Croatia at the centre of European decision-making processes on the future of forests.
For Croatia, the statement concluded, the move represents more than prestige -- it brings influence, security and a long-term strategic position within one of the European Union’s most important policy areas.