28 April 2006

Stefan Schenker is the new president of the Confederation of European Forest Owners, CEPF

During its General Assembly, CEPF unanimously acclaimed Mister Stefan Schenker as its new president. The internationally recognised expert on forestry has been heading the Austrian association "Land & Forst Betriebe Österreich" up to last year.
Since 1995 Stefan Schenker is a member of the CEPF board. “The important challenges for the future are seen in adjusting sustainable forest management to energy policies, strengthening of forestry in rural areas and finding sound approaches in nature conservation“, stated Stefan Schenker as he took over his new task. Additionally showing the relevance of the value chain on the forest-based sector quite plainly to society and decision makers will be of outmost importance.
Educated in forestry he learned very early what it means to live in and from the forest. After finishing university he completed his audit and 1976 he took over the family estate Mariensee in Lower Austria. He made his marks on both the national and international levels with his profound knowledge and enthusiastic engagement in the field of forestry.

Harmonising interests
Today, 23 national forest owner associations are gathered under the CEPF umbrella. CEPF is the representative voice of 16 million Family Forest Owners in Europe. Once formed by a liaison of European Forest Owners, the Central Committee of Forest Owners in Europe (CCPF) was born in 1961. The foundation of CEPF with its owns statutes occurred in 1996. Since 1995 the office is located in Brussels and is currently headed by General Secretary Natalie Hufnagl.
During the last ten years CEPF has become recognised within the European Institutions as a responsible partner and has become known as the Voice of European Family Forestry.
At the centre of the association’s activities is the coordination of different policy areas with the objective of achieving sustainable forest management of Europe’s forests. In this regard the EU Forest Action Plan will play a very important role. The Forest Action Plan is to be presented to the European Council during the Austrian EU Presidency.