Forest biomass for energy in multi-functional forest management: Insight into the perceptions of forest-related professionals

The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the views of forest-related professionals in Slovenia regarding the policy instruments and external factors driving the production and use of forest biomass for energy as part of sustainable and multi-functional forest management. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among forest-related professionals, followed by an in-depth qualitative analysis. The results show the importance of managing forests for several forest functions simultaneously within one area, indicating the suitability of the integrative approach. Moreover, it was affirmed that forest biomass for energy should not be the main goal of forest management, but rather a by-product of other goals. Its use is driven by a set of policy instruments interrelated with external factors, the most important of which are economic instruments and the market, respectively. From this perspective, interviewees recognised the role of government as essential in the development of the bioenergy sector in Slovenia. Value chains in combination with educational activities offer a suitable answer for coordinating various wood uses. The results of this study can facilitate political decisions that take into account stakeholder interests and environmental threats in the context of the contemporary forest management paradigm.