EN
The beginnings of private forest services sector date back to the interwar period when harvesting operations and sawmill services were carried out by private companies leading to forest devastation. Adam Loret, the first director−general of the State Forests, started to build the structure of forest administration and hire manual workers. After the World War II, forestry in Poland operated in a centrally planned economic system, which precluded the functioning of the private forest services sector. The development of private forest companies in Poland began in the early 1990s. The employed free−market economy forced the State Forests to introduce many reforms and modifications to forest management, forest operations, as well as to the trading and sales of timber. All forest operations are being outsourced to private forest companies. Forest districts select bidders to perform the required forest operations according to the existing procedures, while ensuring the favourable conditions for the creation of new jobs. Forest companies face many difficulties to meet the growing demands laid down by the forest administration staff in tender specifications. The paper presents the current status of the private forest services sector, and describes the trends in the development of private forest companies providing services to the State Forests.