Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

The aim of this study was a temporal and spatial analysis of the expenditure incurred for the forest education in the State Forests. The study included 17 regional directorates of the State Forests (RDSF), for whom the level of education funding from own resources was determined, including funds derived from forest districts and the Forest Fund. The rate and direction of changes in the sources of financing in 2006–2014 were deter- mined for the particular units.

In the analysed period, the expenditure on the forest education financed from own resources of the State Forests National Forest Holding (SFNFH) showed an upward trend – from 10 million to 29.5 million PLN, and at the same time, the share of the State Forests in financing of the forest education increased from 74 to 90%. The study confirmed the diverse temporal and spatial distribution of own expenditure on forest education. The funds from the forest districts (on average 97%) were essential in the financing of education. In 2006–2014 significant differences in the level and growth rate of financing from own funds of forest divisions between the Regional Directorates of the State Forests were found. In the examined period funding of forest education from the Forest Fund was marginal (on average 3%). Units benefi ted from the funding source to a different extent and the main beneficiary of the forestry fund was the Regional Directorates in Cracow.

The analysis is preliminary and requires further research into the knowledge of the internal spatial distribution of the expenditure of forest education in each Regional Directorate of the State Forests. The salary expenditure of foresters involved in educational activities should be included in the subsequent studies in order to determine the total (comprehensive) education costs of forest education. In addition, another important area of research related to the financing of the forest education should be the measurement and evaluation  of the effectiveness of spent the funds. Thus, the entity obtaining the money should be referred to and the method of measuring participants’ knowledge of the forest education and the evaluation of its application in practice should be determined.