Czech Republic - Forestry

The Forest Code (1852) of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was incorporated into the laws of the former Czechoslovakia and governed forest conservation until World War II (1939–45). Most forests were privately owned, and during the world wars, they were excessively exploited. The Czech Republic had an estimated 2,632,000 ha (6,504,000 acres) of forestland in 2000, accounting for 34% of the total land area. Total roundwood production in 2000 was 14.4 million cu m (508 million cu ft), with exports of 2 million cu m (71 million cu ft). Since the Czech government began property restitution, the need for wood products has far outstripped domestic supply, especially for furniture and construction materials.