Slovak farm minister: Forests need to be prepared for climate change

Slovak forests must be prepared for climate change, which has been affecting their lifetime and structure, Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna said at a conference in the High Tatra Mountains on Thursday. The farm ministry is responding to the situation with measures to support the adaptation of forests by modifying their composition, especially of the most vulnerable forests, and making management as natural as possible, she said. "The forest cover in Slovakia has increased to 41.2 percent since 2016 and if the so-called white areas are also included, this makes up as much as 45 percent of Slovakia's territory. If we want to preserve this forest cover, we must prepare our forests for climate changes," said Matecna, adding that more wood now grows in Slovak forests than the amount of logged timber.