Current challenges in the management of forest research

The presentation firstly describes the frame conditions in which forestry is presently acting in Central Europe. It is influenced by the experience of the author as director of the Baden-Württemberg Forest Research Institute (FVA) in Freiburg, Germany. In a second step emerging issues in forest research are listed, clearly dominated at present by the case of climate change. The core competences of forest research institutes as integral parts of public administration are described and special emphasis is put on the question how the agenda in defining research topics is set. Finally the most important present challenges in the management of forest research concerning cooperation with other institutions, personnel recruitment, funding and financing, organisation and quality management are discussed.

Przemysław Szmit