Tobolka AlbinaVideo control of wildfires in SNR “Deliblatska Peščara”
Case enterprise:
State Enterprise for Management of Forests
“Vojvodinašume”
Innovation case:
Video control of wildfires
in Special Nature Reservation „Deliblatska Pescara“
Albina Tobolka
Faculty of Forestry
University of Belgrade
Serbia
Contents
Part I – Case enterprise ……………………………………………………………….… 3
1.1. Description of the enterprise and the business area – Public Enterprise “Vojvodinašume” …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
1.1.1. Short history and organization …………………………………………………………………3
1.1.2. Main ratios and personnel ………………………………………………………………………..4
1.1.3. Main activities …………………………………………………………………………………………..5
1.1.4. Forests in Vojvodina …………………………………………………………………………………5
1.2. Forest holding “Banat” Pančevo” ………………………………………………………………..5
1.2.1. Description of the enterprise and the business area ………………………………5
1.2.1.1. Short history ……………………………………………………………………………… 5
1.2.1.2. Main ratios and personnel ………………………………………………………...7
1.2.1.3. Main products, services, markets and customers…………………………..……7
1.2.1.4. Main trends in the business area …………………………………………………..…....8
1.2.2. Present situation regarding innovation aspects ……………………………………….9
1.2.3. Description of the business goals of the enterprise ……………………………..….9
1.2.4. A’WOT – analysis about enterprise’s innovation ability ……………………..……9
1.2.4.1. SWOT – about enterprise’s innovation ability ……………………………………….9
1.2.4.2. Calculated AWOT results about the importances of the factors …………..10
1.2.4.3. Written conclusions based on the AWOT – results ……………………………….12
Part II – Innovation case (case study) ………………………………………….13
Video control of wildfires in Special Nature Reservation
„Deliblatska Pescara“ ...... 13
2.1. Chronology and subject of the innovation ...... 13
2.1.1. What was the problem situation before the innovation? ...... 13
2.1.2. Development and implementation of the innovation process (milestones)14
2.1.3. Detailed description of the innovation and outcome ……………………………….14
2.2. Actors network analysis ……………………………………………………………………………….15
2.2.1. Which actors involved? ………………………………………………………………..…………..15
2.2.1.1. Education and research institution …………………………………………………..…..16
2.2.1.2. Firm networks and cooperation ……………………………………………..………..…..16
2.2.2. Roles of actors (who contributed ideas/impulse/information/support?) …16
2.2.3. What kinds of business cooperation? (horizontal/vertical/lateral) ………...17
2.3. Analysis of the innovation process …………………………………………………………..….17
2.3.1. Sources/flow of financial means (internal/external/relevance of support programmes) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..… 17
2.4. Evaluation ………………………………………………………………………………………………………18
2.4.1. Objectives of the innovation ……………………………………………………..………………18
2.4.2. Future plans ………………………………………………………………………………………….…..18
2.5. Conclusions – Lessons learnt/recommendations ……………………….……………….18
Information sources and literature ………………………………………………..19
Part I – Case enterprise
1.1. Description of the enterprise and the business area – Public Enterprise “Vojvodinašume”
1.1.1. Short history and organization
The State Enterprise for Management of Forests "Vojvodinašume" was founded on 8th May 2002. It is organised into three organisational levels:
- Company Directorate
- Sections of the Company- forest holdings and the section of the Company "Vojvodinašume - Lovoturs" Novi Sad - Petrovaradin.
- Work units - forest administrations and other work units.
The Company Directorate performs strategic, development and coordination activities and supervision of work of sections of the Company. The Directorate is divided into sectors.
Forest estates are established on the level of forestland areas and they are divided into departments. There are four forest estates: "Sremska Mitrovica" Sremska Mitrovica, "Banat" Pančevo, "Sombor" Sombor, "Novi Sad" Novi Sad.
Forest Estate "Sremska Mitrovica" has 4 forest administrations:
"Višnjićevo",
"Kupinovo",
"Morović" and
"Klenak".
Forest Estate "Banat" Pančevo has 6 forest administrations:
"Zrenjanin",
"Vršac",
"Opovo",
"Pančevo",
"Kovin"
"Deliblatski pesak"
Forest Estate "Sombor" has 4 forest administrations:
"Bački Monoštor",
"Apatin",
"Subotica" and
"Odžaci".
Forest Estate "Novi Sad" has 5 forest administrations:
"Plavna",
"Bačka Palanka",
"Novi Sad"
"Kovilj" and
"Titel"
The Forest administrations are basic units for planning and organization of forest management activities.
Sheme 1.Organizational scheme of PE “Vojvodinašume”
The Managing Board of the PC "Vojvodinašume" is appointed by the Assembly of the AP Vojvodina and it consists of 11 members. Employees have 5 representatives. The tenure of office lasts for 4 years, with the possibility of re-election. The Managing Board determines business policy, adopts development plan and programme of work, decides on changes of business activities, adopts business activities reports, decides on distribution of profits, makes investment decisions and performs other activities in accordance with the Decision on Establishing the Company, Statute, Law on Business Societies and other laws.
The Supervisory Board is appointed by the Assembly of the AP Vojvodina and it has 5 members. The tenure of office lasts for 4 years, with the possibility of re-election. The Supervisory Board performs supervision over the Company's work, reviews the annual report, periodic accounting, annual account and proposal for distribution of profits.
The Company Director is appointed by the Assembly of the AP Vojvodina upon the proposal by the Executive Council of the AP Vojvodina. The tenure of office lasts for 4 years, with the possibility of re-election. The Company Director manages the work of the Company, represents and acts on behalf of the Company, makes decisions independently and he is held responsible for the legality of the Company's activities, appoints and dismisses assistant directors and other persons with special powers and performs other activities stipulated by the Law and Statute.
The Executive Board of Directors is an auxiliary and executive body of the Company Director. The Decision on Appointment and Dismissal of Members of the Executive Board of Directors is adopted by the Company Director. As a rule, members of the Executive Board of Directors are assistant directors and directors of the Company sections.
1.1.2. Main ratios and personnel
The annual turnover of the SE "Vojvodinašume" is 4.880.488.000 RSD, or 59.518.146,34 € (data for 2005.)
The State Enterprise "Vojvodinašume" has over 1,852 employees, out of whom 241 are with university degree, (163 graduated forest engineers), 490 employees with secondary school degree (269 forest technicians and 1,121 employees in direct production) (data from 2004).
1.1.3. Main activities
The main activities are: silviculture, maintenance of forest and reforestation; improvement; production of seeds and plants;productionof forest products; hunting; making management plans;project, making and maintenance of forest roads; services in private forests.
1.1.4. Forests in Vojvodina
The total area of forests and forestland covers 175,136.05 ha (Public Company "Vojvodinašume" manages the area of 130,589.26 ha). The forest area comprises 140,717.68 ha, so that actual level of forestation amounts to only 6.51%. Most of these forests are in the state ownership comprising the area of 135,191.33 ha or 96.07%, whereas the forest area of 5,567.09 ha, i.e. 3.96% is in the private ownership. Most state-owned forests represent whole and separate entities such as: Fruška Gora National Park, Deliblato Sands, Vršac Hill, Subotica Sands, Valleys of the Sava, the Danube, the Tamis and the Tisa.
1.2. Forest Estate “Banat” Pančevo”
1.2.1. Description of the enterprise and the business area
1.2.1.1. Short history
The forest region “Banat” was founded just 40 years ago, when some poplar plantations were established on former grazing lands. Its borders are similar as the borders of the region Banat. Beside the two great rivers, the Danube and the Tisa, it has some other small rivers (Zlatica, Begej, Tmis, Karas, Nera).
It has continental climate, with strong winds the whole year.
Picture 1. Map of Vojodina
The total area of forests is 33 072.43 ha, 31 124.6 ha (92.3 % state owned and 1 947.83 ha (5.9 %) private.
General characteristics
Forests
The most frequent tree species is poplar (Populus x euroamericana, Klon I-214) with 41.3%. Other species are: pine (Pinus sp. -16.3%), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia -16.2%), oak (Quercus sp. -13%), willow (Salix sp. -6.5%), ash (Fraxinus sp. -4.4%). The most financial resources are earned by producing and selling poplar. Black locust and pines are species which can grow in very bad conditions, so they are used for melioration in SNR “Deliblatska Peščara”. By the rivers we can find willow for erosion control of the river banks. Small frequency of valuable broadleaf species, as oak and ash, is compensated by producing poplar on great lands, because of favorable conditions for it’s well growth.
Protected areas
Some parts of the forest area are protected:
Special nature reservation “Deliblatska Peščara“ – total protected area surface is 34,829.32 ha, of which 29,867.70 is state owned and 1,099.20 ha is private owned.
This unique mosaic of ecosystems contains typical species of flora and fauna, among which many are rare and significant according to international criteria. As the last and largest oasis of sand, steppe, forest and marsh vegetation which once dominated the Pannonian Plane, SNR ‘Deliblatska peščara' is one of the most important centres of biodiversity in Serbia and Europe as well as the most important steppe in our country. This reserve, therefore, represents a unique test-field of science.
A three-level protection regime is established on this area. On national level, it represents a natural asset of special importance falling under protection category I. On the international level its status was verified when it became one of the European IBAs (International Bird Areas).
The Special nature reservation “Stari Begej – Carska bara“ – covers 1,675.86 ha. This reservation is established to protect mosaic complex of swamp, forest, meadow, steppic and marsh ecosistems with lots of rare and protected endemic floral and animal species of the Pannonian plain. Three-level protection regime is established.
The Reservation “ Omoljička ada“ – contains mixed forests of ash (Fraxinus excelsior), white poplar (Populus alba), black poplar (Populus nigra), elm (Ulmus campestris), willow (Salix alba), with some English oak (Quercus robur).
The Regional park “Vrašački breg“ – includes a Commemorative forest – Memorial nature monument – on 13.36 ha and an oak forest – Nature monument park-forest – on 1.28 ha.
Organisation structure of the FE „Banat“
The Forest Estate „Banat“ consists of Managing board with seat in Pančevo, 8 Forest Administration Units, one work unit and one School-recreational center.
1.2.1.2. Main ratios and personnel
In FE “Banat” there are 46 graduated forestry engineers, 2 economists, 1 mechanical engineers, 3 lawyers and 15 others. That makes 67 highly educated staff. There are 79 forestry technicians, 33 economy technicians, 4 administration technicians and 39 others. That means 155 people with secondary school degree. There are 42 forest workers, 89 mechanicals and drivers and 58 others. That means 189unqualified employees with elementary education. Total number of employees is 411 persons.
Chart 1. Structure of employees by education level and by age
Structure of employees by age: there are 3 persons under 20 ages, 16 between 21-30 ages, 160 between 41-50 ages, 147 between 51-60 ages and 16 over 60 ages.
There are 88 women and 323 men.
1.2.1.3. Main products, services, markets and customers
Next table presents the incomes, expenditures and the profit of several products and services in FE “Banat”. The sums are in 1000 RSD (1€ = 80 RSD) for the year 2006.
No / Service / Expenditure / Income / Profit1 / Silviculture and afforestation / 101 412 / 93 714 / -7 698
2 / Tree marking / 1 970 / -1 970
3 / Seed and seedling production / 13 187 / 11 899 / -1 288
4 / Protection / 16 657 / 7 380 / -9 277
5 / Forest management and planning / 4 259 / 1 633 / -2 626
6 / Management of protected areas / 3 537 / -3 374
7 / Services for private owners / 2 374 / -2 374
8 / Hunting / 14 808 / 8 390 / -6 418
9 / Wood production / 369 995 / 434 093 / 64 098
10 / Mechanization and transport / 920 / 677 / -243
11 / Forest engineering
12 / Other resources
13 / Fishing / 8 323 / 9 831 / 1 508
14 / Tourism and accommodation services / 30 600 / 20 790 / -9 810
15 / Agricultural production
16 / Pheasant farm
17 / Other / 10 278 / 8 788 / -1 490
Total / 578 320 / 597 195 / 18 875
Table 1. The incomes, expenditures and the profit of products and services in FE “Banat” Pančevo
Most of the incomes are from wood production. In the next table there is a
detailed analysis of quantity and incomes from forest sprtiments.
No / Sortiment / Quantity (m3) / Income (din) / Price (din/m3)1. / Roundwood / 42 931 / 223 848 976 / 5 214
Poplar / 42 847 / 223 200 466 / 5 209
Others / 84 / 648 510 / 7 720
2. / Cordwood / 37 456 / 107 287 724 / 2 864
Oak / 7 / 33 880 / 4 840
Beech / 20 / 105 600 / 5 280
Poplar / 34 413 / 97 777 364 / 2 841
Other hard broadleaves / 193 / 1 345 224 / 6 970
Other soft broadleaves / 2 368 / 316 856 / 2 668
Other conifers / 455 / 1 708 800 / 3 756
3. / Cordwood and minerwood / 2 291 / 6 704 087 / 2 926
Broadleaves / 777 / 2 973 486 / 3 827
Conifers / 1 514 / 3 730 601 / 2 464
4. / Technical roundwood (s. brl.) / 88 / 192 966 / 2 193
5. / Cellulose wood (s. brl.) / 2 500 / 4 635 123 / 1 854
6. / Fuelwood / 32 253 / 71 641 462 / 2 221
Hard broadleaves / 20 703 / 54 994 636 / 2 656
Soft broadleaves-conifers / 11 550 / 16 646 826 / 1 441
7. / On tree stump / 12 483 / 18 546 509 / 1 486
Roundwood / 88 / 197 298 / 2 242
Fuelwood / 12 395 / 18 349 211 / 1 480
Roundwood / 82 766 / 338 038 085 / 4 084
Cordwood / 47 236 / 94 818 762 / 2 007
Total / 130 002 / 432 856 847 / 3 330
Table 2. Incomes from forest sortiments – domestic market
These sortiments are sold on domestic market. Usually sawmills and citizens by it.
The only product which is placed on foreign market is cellulose wood. The next table presents the incomes from this exported sortiment. We can see that it is really a small sum.
No / Sortiment / Quantity (m3) / Income (din) / Price (din/m3)1. / Cellulose wood (s. brl.) / 772 / 1 235 982 / 1 601
Table 3. Incomes from forest sortiments – foreign market
1.2.1.4. Main trends in the business area
Main activities of the FE are:
- breeding, protection, management of protected natural goods, maintenance and regeneration of forests, production of forest seeds and planting material and growing of new forests and forest plantation;
- forestutilisation, production of forest products and other products of forestland areas, utilisation of forests for recreational purposes, sawn-wood production and other ways of forest utilisation;
- hunting and game breeding, meat production and processing;
- fishery;
- tourism and catering;
- design of construction facilities, spatial planning and geodesic works for special purposes;
- project design, programme design and preparation of the forest management basis;
- performing professional work in owner's forests;
- improvement and utilisation of general-purpose functions of forests.
1.2.2. Present situation regarding innovation aspects
To get insight into the present situation regarding innovation aspects in SE “Vojvodinašume”, I have studied out the documents from the SE and the interviews made with relevant experts. The detailed results of this study will be presented in the A’WOT analysis.
1.2.3. Description of the business goals of the enterprise
The main business goals of SE “Vojvodinašume” are:
-To develop a company oriented to the market and buyers, for sustainable management of forests, other wooded land, and goods.
-To increase profitability and increase competitiveness on European level.
-To increase the value and upgrade the state of natural resources and increase the area under forests.
-To take active responsibility for rural development, the population and the society in Vojvodina
1.2.4. A’WOT – analysis about enterprise’s innovation ability
Enterprise’s innovation ability is analysed by using A’WOT – analysis. It is based on SWOT analysis that is a commonly used tool for analysing internal and external operational environments in order to attain a systematic approach and support for a decision situation. The internal and external factors most important to the enterprise’s future are summarised within the SWOT analysis. In the method called A’WOT, SWOT analysis is made more analytical by giving numerical rates for the SWOT factors as well as for the four SWOT groups. In this study, the method called SMART is used. Finally, the individual SWOT-factors within each SWOT group are scaled relatively to these priority values.
1.2.4.1. SWOT – about enterprise’s innovation ability
SWOT analysis was used for identification of the most important internal and external factors for innovation ability of the company.
Strenghts / Weightss1 - Compete priority in management of poplar plantations and other broadleaved forests / 100
s2 - Well trained staff / 80
s3 - Good market for roundwood / 80
s4 - Short time production in poplar plantations / 80
s5 - Management of protected areas and open waters / 90
Weaknesses
w1 - Too many emloyees / 90
w2 - Old mechanisation / 100
w3 - Lack of avarding system / 70
w4 - Law level of forestation / 60
w5 - Non-motivated short term employees / 80
Opportunities
o1 - Amendment of producing technology / 80
o2 - Legislative support (New Forest law) / 80
o3 - Short rotation period / 80
o4 - Economic valoration of management with protected areas / 70
o5 - Position of quality sistem - FSC certification / 90
o6 - Public promotion of sustainable development / 90
Threats
t1 - Small importance of forestry in the region / 80
t2 - Unstable economy in the country / 90
t3 - Less of long term credits / 80
t4 - Concurent companyes in the neighbourhood / 60
t5 - Slow turnover of capital / 70
t6 - Monopoly in forest management / 70
1.2.4.2. Calculated AWOT results about the importances of the factors
SWOT factors / Resultss1 - Compete priority in management of poplar plantations and other broadleaved forests / 0.064475
s2 - Well trained staff / 0.05158
s3 - Good market for roundwood / 0.05158
s4 - Short time production in poplar plantations / 0.05158
s5 - Management of protected areas and open waters / 0.058027
w1 - Too many emloyees / 0.046422
w2 - Old mechanisation / 0.05158
w3 - Lack of avarding system / 0.036106
w4 - Law level of forestation / 0.030948
w5 - Non-motivated short term employees / 0.041264
o1 - Amendment of producing technology / 0.046422
o2 - Legislative support (New Forest law) / 0.046422
o3 - Short rotation period / 0.046422
o4 - Economic valoration of management with protected areas / 0.040619
o5 - Position of quality sistem - FSC certification / 0.052224
o6 - Public promotion of sustainable development / 0.052224
1 - Small importance of forestry in the region / 0.041264
t2 - Unstable economy in the country / 0.046422
t3 - Less of long term credits / 0.041264
t4 - Concurent companyes in the neighbourhood / 0.030948
t5 - Slow turnover of capital / 0.036106
t6 - Monopoly in forest management / 0.036106
1.2.4.3. Written conclusions based on the A’WOT – results
The A’WOT results for SE “Vojvodinašume” innovation ability based on factor weights are clearly showing that there is space for improvement in this field.
Competing priority in management of poplar plantations and other broadleaved forests gives lot of advantages to this enterprise. The certification, which is new in forestry sector of Serbia, is on a high level and it is also very positive for the enterprise’s functioning.
On the other hand the unstable economy in the country and the low level of forestation of Vojvodina are slowing down the enterprise’s functioning and it’s innovation ability.
Regarding the whole A’WOT results we can conclude that this company has very high level of strengths and opportunities and this is very good for the company.
Part II – innovation case (case study)
Video control of wildfires
in Special Nature Reservation „Deliblatska Pescara“
2.1. Chronology and subject of the innovation
2.1.1. What was the problem situation before the innovation?
Forest fires are a serious and always actual social and economic problem. They are classified as the factors which, in a short time period, can cause great damage, both material (destroyed timber, costs of suppression, reclamation of burned sites), and ecological, which are generally much greater. The occurrence of forest fires mostly depends on the weather conditions, but also on forest state and forest structure.
A great number of forest fires were detected in Serbia in the last ten years. The total burned area amounts to 36,837 ha. The maximal burned area in this period was recorded in 2000 and it amounted to 13,201 ha. Special emphasis should be focused on forest fire in 1996, which swept over the Special Nature Reserve Deliblatska Peščara. The burned area was 3,815 ha, and this fire was characterisedas a natural disaster. The reclamation of damage caused by the fire in the Nature Reserve is still going on.
Picture 3. Map of Deliblatska Peščara
The Special Nature Reserve Deliblatska Peščara is the most endangered area by forest fires. The analysis of data on forest fires recorded in the past 50 years shows that averagely 5.5 forest fires occur annually, with area burned of about 200 ha.