Evolution of the role and current tasks of forest management planning

The paper presents the history of approaches to forest management derived from the idea of forest sustainability, as well as its inspirational role in the formulation of the concept of sustainable development of forests. The promotion of this concept in forestry is the responsibility of forest management planning through the modification of forest management plans and adaptation of the principles of conducting forest management to changing realities. Changes in planning, both in terms of time and space, are necessary especially because of the reconsideration of the range and significance of forest functions. The development of the 'normal forest' model and management unit-level methods of forest planning was a key event in the history of forestry in Europe. The development of knowledge, as well as economic, technological and social changes were conducive to the emergence of new theories on the production intensification and to use the economic criteria for determining the rotation age. This also referred to the need to develop an appropriate forest structure to ensure the sustainable use of forest resources. As regards determination of the harvest level, the development of the stand-level method of forest management published by Judeich in 1871 is worth noting. Recent results of the research on forest habitat and productivity have revealed the problem of forest species composition and the importance of forest tending activities. Another group of research achievements cover the new systems of determining the allowable cut taking into account forest maturity and sustainability criteria. In the multiple-use forest model being implemented in Poland, forest utilization is to be treated as a realization of all forest functions expected by society. Accordingly, two functions of forest use can be distinguished - the temporary function aimed to satisfy the current demand for timber, and the strategic function to secure a relatively steady, long-term timber supply, as well as to improve the condition of forest resources. The idea of the modification of the principles of determining the volume of harvest, meeting the set requirements, is a continuation of the above issues. The changes taking place in the conditions of the planning process in forestry over the last decades have caused its continuous extension in terms of range and interdisciplinary areas. The principles of forest use, renewal, tending and protection create a logical and chronological sequence of events showing the complexity of the problems that appear at the stage of planning and in the forest district practice. The current problem at the stage of forest planning is the effect of climate changes on forest ecosystems and possible measures to counteract them. When creating forest management plans, the adaptation activities related to forest management are gaining importance.