The study examined the satisfaction of private forest owners with the extension services of the Slovenia Forest Service (ZGS) in the Rogaška Slatina district, where we surveyed 50 randomly selected private forest owners. We were interested in the general satisfaction of private forest owners regarding the extension services of the Slovenia Forest Service (current activity and wishes in the future), where they most frequently get the information that private forest owners use in forest management and how they obtain it. We have found that private forest owners are generally satisfied with the extension services of the Slovenia Forest Service in the Rogaška Slatina district, and that their satisfaction is not affected by their age, ownership and the size of the forest property. Despite the general satisfaction, private forest owners want new areas of advice from the Slovenia Forest Service (e.g. advice on the most appropriate buyer of timber and prices, and on the legal resolution of border issues in the forest). Private forest owners most often obtain information related to forest management from the Slovenia Forest Service from a district forester at logging, followed by obtaining information through the Slovenia Forest Service website, e-mail, social network and through workshops and trainings. Slovenia Forest Service should better advertise the events it organizes and should also work more to involve private forest owners in the forms of counselling they offer. Changes in forestry legislation would be required in order for the Slovenia Forest Service to provide advice in new areas.
|