SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY AND DIRECTION OF INSTITUTE-OF-FOREST-ECOLOGY SAS

It is generally known that 70-80 % of Slovak forests are damaged by im mission impact. There is alike known that we have incomplete knowledge of these disturbed ecosystems functioning. It is similar if we want t o compare damaged and relatively undamaged forest stands. It is not po ssible to solve all these questions without a basic research. It was f or these reasons that the Institute of Forest Ecology of Slovak Academ y of Sciences in Zvolen was established 10 years ago, first as a Depar tment for Forest Ecosystems Research under the former Institute of Exp erimental Biology and Ecology of Centre of Biological and Ecological S ciences of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and from July 1, 1987 as an independent institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. In spite of a short existence of the Institute and numerous problems with its build ing the Institute has contributed by many valuable results to extended knowledge of immission impact and to moderation of harmful consequenc es on forest ecosystems in several regions of Slovakia.