In the conflict between logging as a material resource and preservation the forests are becoming depleted throughout the world and this depletion is aggravated by the effects of air pollution. The concept of utilization is thus now being expanded to include vital societal values.
These issues are nowhere more acute than in Central and Eastern Europe, where obsolete, poorly maintained industrial plant is common. Air pollutant levels are so high that one area has been called the Black Triangle. Timber is required in this region as a building material and logging for fuelwood is practised, giving rise to a complex linkage between industry, energy supply, deforestation, agriculture, value-added forestry products and economic development. This book presents current information on national and regional issues relating to environmental threats to forest land, focusing on: ecology, environment and science; forest ownership and management; forest product utilization; government and public agency roles.
The recommendations, action items and the human network needed for regional-level implementation are detailed in situation', position' and `state of the art' papers. The final objective is to develop a plan of action to help abate the negative impacts while sustaining or expanding the forests, the economy and the energy sufficiency of the region.

Inhalt
Opening Presentation.- R.M. Gutkowski.- Report of the Joint Study Tour.- T. Winnicki.- Situation Papers.- Central European Hot Spots of Air Pollution.- Forest Depletion in Europe: Extent, Causes and Interpretations.- Options for Power Generation and Emission Control Technologies.- State-of-the-Art Papers.- Forestry Area Recovery and Restructuring - Experience From Sherwood Forest.- Increasing Public Awareness of the Contribution of Forestry and Wood Utilization to Ecology.- Sustainable Economy of Forestry and Value Added Utilization of Forests: The only chance to save the forests of the world.- Position Papers.- Working Group 1 - Environmental Factors in Forest Depletion.- Evaluating the Risk of Air Pollution to Forests in Central and Eastern Europe.- Forests and Air Pollution in the Czech Republic.- Environmental Factors and State of Ukrainian Forests: Monitoring and Impact Assessment.- Air Pollution Impacts on Forest Trees and Biological Aspects of the Environment Optimization in Belarus.- Position Papers.- Working Group 2 - Forest Growth, Expansion and Management.- Forest Accessibility and Sustainable Development.- Forests of Ukraine and Improvements of Forest Management.- The Role of Forest Tree Breeding for the 21st Century.- Management of Forest Ecosystems in the Krkonoe National Park, Black Triangle Region, Czech Republic.- Management and Utilization of Damaged Forests in Central and Eastern Europe.- Position Papers.- Working Group 3 - Forest Utilization for Raw Materials and Value Added Products.- Wood Products In Structures and Society A Task for an Interdisciplinary Scientific Approach.- Harmonization of Forest Resource Utilization and Housing Development in Poland.- Timber Bridge Construction A Value Added Use of Forest Products.-The Relationship Between Forest Raw Material and the Construction of Slovenian Hay Rack.- The Lithuanian Trends for Forest Utilization.- Research and Development Goals for Wood Technology in Austria.- Building with Timber, A Possible Contribution to Solve Eastern Europe's Economical and Ecological Problems?.- Position Papers.- Working Group 4 - Socio-Economic Considerations for the Forest Resource.- Socio-Economic Challenges of Central and Eastern Europe's Forestry Needs.- A Perspective on Issues Impacting the Profitable and Sustainable Utilization of Forest Ecosystem Resources.- Economic and Financial Situation in Russian Forestry at the Transition Period.- Perspectives for the Future of Sustainable Development in Woodprocessing and Manufacturing : some new solution in technology for better and cheaper utilization of wood resources.- The Bavarian Program for Using Renewable Energies The biomass network: new source of energy on the treshold to commercial viability.- Technical Excursion to The Bavarian Forest.- Excursion with Furst Thurn und Taxis Forestry Forstamt Thiergarten.- Working Group Reports.- Working Group 1.- Environmental Factors in Forest Depletion.- Working Group 2.- Forest Growth, Expansion and Management.- Working Group 3.- Forest Utilization for Raw Materials and Value Added Products.- Working Group 4.- Socio-economic Considerations for Forest Resources.- Joint Working Group Reports.- Working Groups 1 and 2.- Working Groups 1 and 3.- Working Groups 1 and 4.- Working Groups 2 and 3.- Working Groups 2 and 4.- Working Groups 3 and 4.- Joint Meeting of Working Group Leaders-Report.- Final Report of The Whole Delegation.- Summary Observations and Conclusions.- Closing Remarks.- List of Contributors.