PREFACE


Forestry is a discipline that manages the forsts for an economical, leisure and scientific aim. As a science it should be comprehensive and to be aware of all of the characteristics and circumstances that mark the forest. Thus, knowledge of of the cultural aspects of the trees is needed, for what the trees have represented in the past and are today.

My idea was to create a comprehensive database about the symboly of trees that can be found on the teritory of the Republic of Macedonia. And to classify all common names of trees that are used in these parts. While doing so, having in mind all of the cultural influences in order to have a complete and trustwothy image of the cultural aspects of trees. Therefor I visited many churches, monasteries, mosks and other religious temples. Only the data from jewish influence is limited, due to the fact that the only sinagog is in a building with no yard that can testify for some sort of a cult toward the trees, nor I managed to find written materials that focus on the trees in Republic of Macedonia.

I did not find materials that comprehensively explore the cultural aspects of trees, and that makes the need for souch kind of material even greater. The usage is not extensive only as a part of the culutal heritage of the people that live in these parts, but and as a new dimension that it has been neglected for a long time in forestry. With the need of redifiening of the role of modern forestry as a science and as a trade, the symboly of trees will bring new aspects to the management of forests. Hence with the new elements of modern forestry, amongst the symboly of trees, forestry can take importaint and wide-ranging role for the ecomony of the scociety, not only for the production of lumber, but also for the culutal tourism in the region.

Still, in my work, due to the short time and limited founds, I have included only several species of trees from the many that can be found on the teritory of the Republic of Macedonia. Which I think can represent a begining that will cause further, even thorough research.

I hope that this web page will give better and easyer access for the genral public. And that everything that is written will cause series of comments, remarks or even new informations that I have overlooked or not mentioned.

Especially I would like to thank to all of those that supported me and helped me in my work. Specially to the Faculty of Forestry - Skopje; Institute of Ethnology at the Natural and Math Faculty; Macedonian Othodox Church; Islamic Union in the Republic of Macedonia - Skopje; Jewish Community in the Republic of Macedonia; Institute of Macedonian Language "Krste Misirkov”; Institute of Folclore "Marko Cepenkov”; and many other organizations and institutions.

Rantaša Bojan