Sustainable Forestry as Local Potential for Development of Timber-based Architecture - Case of Kosovo

Wood is the only naturally renewable and recyclable building material, therefore wood-based construction is becoming everyday more and more popular due to sustainability advantages that it embraces as well as the new technological innovations which develop high technical performances and new ways of application of timber in architecture. It is essential that wood products are derived from sustainably managed forests, which in long-term provide balanced economic, environmental and social benefits. Forests are identified by multiple factors, therefore specific strategies of management that would provide effective results need to be considered in the national perspective. Kosovo forestry covers around 45% of the country's area, however only 6% consists of coniferous species. Such indicators point out the potential and challenge of Kosovo Forestry Institutions toward utilization of national resource as an alternative in construction industry that would provide national economical benefits. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance and potential of national forestry as an alternative natural resource for development of timber engineering, local timber industry and forestry education in order to fully benefit in the national context.