Historical Background of Forestry Science

The science of Forestry originated in the countries of Central and Northern Europe as a result of the increasing demand for wood as a raw material and the problems caused by the extensive destruction of forests and the natural environment in general.

These concerns led to the establishment of University Institutions in Central Europe and later in the rest of the continent, including our country. Thus, in Greece, the first Higher School of Forestry was founded and operated in 1917 in Athens, from where it was transferred in 1927 to Thessaloniki, to become one of the first educational units of the newly established University of Thessaloniki.

Department of Forestry at the Democritus University of Thrace

The Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources of the School of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences of the Democritus University of Thrace, based in Orestiada, began its operation in the academic year 1999-2000 with the admission of its first students.

According to Article 1 of Presidential Decree 203/99, the purpose of the foundation and operation of the new department is the cultivation and promotion of Forestry science and environmental science, with particular emphasis on the management of natural resources and the training of scientists capable of studying, researching, understanding, and applying modern methods for the development, improvement, protection, and management of forests, forest lands, and the natural environment.

The Scientific Basis of Forestry

Forestry is a science based on the principles of natural sciences, such as Physics, Mathematics, Botany, Zoology, Mineralogy, Meteorology, and Chemistry.

However, it also requires the support of theoretical and applied sciences. In this way, it creates its own structure from related scientific fields. In some of these, it collaborates with scientists from other disciplines, mainly engineers, chemists, and biologists.

Goals and Mission of the Department

The Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources aspires that through education, research, textbooks, and other publications, as well as the general activity of its staff and graduates, it will contribute significantly to the development and evolution of Forestry Science, the improvement of the management and utilization of Greek forests and natural resources, and the protection of the country’s natural environment.

In particular, the presence of D.U.Th. in the border prefecture of Evros and the city of Orestiada gives it an additional serious mission: to serve as a cultural lighthouse for the wider region, with a substantial contribution to the development of local cultural and intellectual life.

The core pillars of the Department’s mission:

  • a) To provide education in the science of Forestry and the Management of the Environment and Natural Resources.
  • b) To conduct significant, innovative research on the sustainable management of forests, forest lands, and the environment, on biodiversity, on the effects of climate change, and on the conservation and protection of the environment.
  • c) To improve terrestrial ecosystems and wildlife for the benefit of both people and nature.