September 12, 2022 - Last weekend, the most significant event dedicated to the promotion of forestry and the forestry profession, but also small entrepreneurship, crafts, and OPGs, as well as numerous associations, was held in Našice - the 22nd Days of Slavonian Forests festival.
As Glas Slavonije writes, Našice celebrated the riches of the forest in full splendor with numerous festival events that were excellently prepared and organised this year by the City of Našice, the Našice Branch of Forest Administration, the Našice Branch of Matica Hrvatska and the Tourist Board of the City of Našice.
The most interesting and dynamic was on Saturday, when after the ceremonial opening in the park, a forest workers' competition, a shepherd's cooking competition, a crafts fair, and a fair of products and services of rural Slavonia were held.
The event was opened by the envoy of the Croatian Prime Minister and State Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, Dragan Jelić, emphasising the importance of forests and forestry. #What should be emphasised is that forests are a huge natural resource. In our country, forests and forest land occupy 47 percent of the national land area, of which 78 percent is owned by the state, and 22 percent is owned by private forest owners. In addition to 8,000 people who work directly in Croatian forests, another 25,000 of them work in the wood industry", State Secretary Jelić pointed out.
The director of the Forestry Sector of Croatian Forests, Krešimir Žagar, also attended the event, pointing out that the backbone of the festival is the foresters' competition, which is extremely interesting for visitors, and that this year the best forest workers from six Slavonian forest administrations would compete and demonstrate their skills.
Dubravka Petric / Pixsell
Deputy Prefect Josip Miletić also spoke, who said that the Days of Slavonian Forests are the pride of the City of Našice and Slavonia.
"The festival has become a valuable event for the gathering of our citizens. It is not only important for the town of Našice, but for the whole of Slavonia" said Miletić, deputy prefect of Osijek-Baranja.
The mayor of Našice, Krešimir Kašuba, extended a warm welcome. "Našice is celebrating 793 years of its existence with a series of events, and the Days of Slavonian Forests festival is the central event. This event is extremely important for our city because it has an economic and promotional feature. The event promotes the heritage of our region, forestry, but it also has a cultural, sports, entertainment, and gastronomic character", said mayor Kašuba.
After the official opening, there was a competition of professional woodcutters from six Slavonian forest administrations - Nova Gradiška, Požega, Vinkovci, Osijek, Slatina, and Našice. Foresters competed in handling a chainsaw (turning the guide bar), felling a tree with a chainsaw, and felling a tree with an axe, while cutting with a two-handed saw was organised for the citizens. In the discipline of turning the guide bar, the fastest was Ante Zadro (UŠ Vinkovci), the second Mihael Dobenko (UŠ Nova Gradiška), and the third Đuro Korman (UŠ Požega). When it comes to felling a tree with a balloon saw, the best was Božidar Stipčević (UŠ Osijek), followed by Ivica Kovčević (UŠ Nova Gradiška), and third place went to Šime Beštek (UŠ Slatina). Marija Cingel (Orahovica Forestry) was the most successful in felling a tree, Miran Kiseljak (Donji Miholjac Forestry) won second place, and Josip Mihaljević (Đurđenovac Forestry) took third place.
Recognitions and awards were presented by the director of the Forestry Sector of Croatian Forests, Krešimir Žagar, the head of the Našice Forest Management Vlado Keglević, and the mayor Krešimir Žagar. As Vlado Keglević, head of UŠ Našice, said at the end, this is a joint festival of foresters and citizens who are an inseparable symbiosis of tradition, and that is priceless.
The director of the Našice Tourist Board, Ines Resler, also expressed her satisfaction with the attendance of the event, who said that at the festival, one could see a colorful range of products, along with essential socializing and fellowship.
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