Forestry statistics methodology

I. Basic determination

Forestry statistics provides basic information on forestry activities such as felling or afforestation/reforestation. Forestry includes all units, whose activities cover afforestation/reforestation and forest regeneration, forest cultivation, felling, and other forestry activities.

II. Data source

Statistical surveys are the main data source for the forestry statistics, however, administrative data sources are used as well.

1. Statistical surveys

Annual questionnaire on forestry branch indicators (Les 8-01)

Surveyed indicators:

- Roundwood removals incl. salvage felling

- Afforestation/reforestation

- Deliveries of roundwood

- Balance of unstocked forest areas

- Employees and wages in forestry branch

- Cleaning, thinning and other indicators

2. Administrative data sources, data taken from other sources

Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre: Forest land area

Forest Management Institute (FMI): Timber land area, areas of tree species

Ministry of the Interior, General Directorate of the Fire and Rescue Service of the CR: Forest fires

III. Statistical population and sample selection, imputation and estimation of the unsurveyed part of the population

The set of reporting units consists of units with the main economic activity in forestry and logging (Classification of Economic Activities (CZ-NACE) - division 02) and with a pre-defined number of employees and units with a pre-defined forest area (further information is available in the Programme of Statistical Surveys, available in Czech only, https://www.czso.cz/csu/vykazy/program_statistickych_zjistovani). Data for unsurveyed part of the population are imputed using the collected data from the sample.

IV. Overview of basic published indicators

Roundwood removals comprise the volume of large timber and a part of small timber (felling residues are not included) incl. self-production. Large timber is a wood volume of the aboveground part of a tree with a minimum diameter of 7 cm over bark. The timber from felling or silvicultural activities incl. salvage felling are included.

Salvage felling includes data for all kinds of salvage felling and calamities (abiotic and biotic causes). It includes also dead standing trees, isolated breaks, uprooting, all the volume of trap trees felled for trapping bark beetles, and individual trees in which harmful insects (bark beetles, etc.) spend winter. Salvage felling (processed) covers the volume of timber processed within salvage felling.

Deliveries of roundwood include the volume of large timber and a part of small timber removed and delivered to domestic and foreign customers and for self-consumption, irrespective of the place of delivery (felling residues and forest chips are not included). Large timber is a wood volume of the aboveground part of a tree with a minimum diameter of 7 cm over bark.

Afforestation/reforestation refers to artificial afforestation and reforestation (artificial forest regeneration) by sowing and planting (natural regeneration of forest is excluded). It comprises afforested and reforested areas as well as improvements of forest stands and natural seedings by planting (converted into fully afforested/reforested area). Since 2002, artificial regeneration under existing stands (underplanting and undersowing) is included.

Average registered number of employees (headcount) includes all categories of permanent, seasonal and temporary employees who are employed by the employer (the arithmetic mean of average numbers of employees). The average registered number of employees – full-time equivalent – is the average registered number of employees (headcount) recalculated according to the length of their working time in relation to full-time working time as set by the employer. Manual workers are included in groups 6–9 of the Classification of Occupations.

Wages excluding other personnel expenses include basic wages and salaries, additional payments to wage or salary, bonuses, compensations for wages and salaries, bonuses for standby duty, and other wage or salary components charged to be paid to employees in a given period. Gross wages are reported.

Average gross monthly wage is the proportion of wages, excluding other personnel expenses, per registered employee and month.

Cleaning is the treatment of young-growth forest stands aimed at reducing stand density and optimising health and quality conditions of a forest stand. The total area of cleaning and cutting of weed trees is counted in, including cleaning of riparian stands.

Thinning refers to the treatment of premature forest stands, which follows up the cleaning, for the purpose of optimising stand characteristics in terms of wood production, resistance and stability. It includes, in particular, management of stand composition and structure, morphological tending of stands and stand stabilisation. Thinning is realised by removing economically inappropriate and undesirable forest stand components in favour of desirable ones.

V. Retrospective corrections, revisions, procedure for more accurate estimations

By default, retroactive corrections and revisions are not performed.

VI. Comparability

Since 2002, afforestation/reforestation (artificial) and natural regeneration of forest under existing stands are included.

VII. Seasonal adjustment

Seasonal adjustment is not performed.

VIII. Data dissemination

Publications: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/forestry

- Forestry

- Historie a současnost lesního a vodního hospodářství - 1950 – 2011 (Czech only)

Time series (Czech only): https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/ceska-republika-od-roku-1989-v-cislech-aktualizovano-2682022#09

Public database: https://vdb.czso.cz/vdbvo2/faces/en/index.jsf?page=statistiky#katalog=30841