Historical development, education, research and perspectives – Chair of Forest Ecology and Urban Greenery

Abstract

The Chair of Forest Ecology and Urban Greenery at the University of Sarajevo - Faculty of Forestry, has been a cornerstone of scientific disciplines and knowledge in the field of forest and urban ecosystems ecology in Bosnia and Herzegovina for several decades. The dedicated scientists and academic professionals associated within the chair have contributed significantly, producing some of the nation's most crucial knowledge concerning the characteristics and processes of forest ecosystems, widely utilized by researchers and professionals.

In the mid-1980s, the integration of the Forestry Institute into the Faculty expanded the Chair responsibilities to encompass teaching, research and professional activities in forest ecology. Subsequent organizational developments occurred with the establishment of the Department of Horticulture in 1996, broadening the chair's scope to include research on the the ecology of urban environments. Presently, with a team of nine members—comprising four full professors, three associate professors, one senior assistant, and one senior independent laboratory assistant—the chair's diverse and dynamic research activities focus on forest ecology, levels of diversity in forest trees, soils, ecosystems, and urban environments.

Our ongoing research efforts are multi-faceted, with a particular emphasis on forest biodiversity and conservation, the development of vegetation and pedological databases, the functions of green infrastructure, monitoring invasive species, and studying plant physiology stress. Collaborative international initiatives with research groups across Europe play a central role in most of our activities, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and expertise. Our overarching goal remains the pursuit of research excellence and the dissemination of knowledge concerning the vegetation, flora, physiology, pedology, and chemistry of forest and urban landscape ecosystems.