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Department of Wood Technology

Institute of Wood Science

Pavilion IV, 1. floor


E-mail: zzd@sumfak.hr


Scientific Activity and Projects

In their scientific and research activities, the Institute employees are engaged in studying anatomical, physical and mechanical wood properties, technological wood properties, durability and protection of wood, and wood modification research.

Professional Activity

  • The Institute of Wood Science professional activity includes the identification of the contested (unknown) types of wood, testing the properties mentioned above of wood and wood products in accordance with the relevant European standards, and participating in the work of technical committees at the Croatian Standards Institute. In addition, the Institute of Wood Science has organized and conducted courses and workshops on the recognition, properties and protection of wood as a part of the professional training for various contracting authorities.
  • Since 2006, the Institute regularly participates in training seminars to implement the international standard ISPM 15 in accordance with the phytosanitary requirements, which must be met by wooden packaging material in international traffic (NN 14/2006.)

History of the Institute 

The foundations and origins of the present Institute of Wood Science are written in the Rules of Internal Organization of the College of Economy and Forestry in Križevci in the Kingdom of Croatia in May 1860. The changes in teaching and the increase in the duration of classes adopted in 1877 resulted in the introduction of the courses in Wood Technology and the Use of Forests. A year later, 1878 began the period in which Fran Kesterčanek was actively working on raising forestry teaching and the courses in Wood Technology and the Use of Forests. By the end of the 19th century, teaching activities moved from the Institute in Križevci to the Academy of Forestry at the Faculty of Wisdom/Philosophy of the University of Zagreb, where the Cabinet for Forestry and Production Professions was established, whose first Head was prof. Fran Kesterčanek. By extending the duration of the studies to four-year studies, the subject courses developed, such as Anatomy and Physiology of Forest Trees, Forest Utilization and Mechanical Technology.

 

Upon the Faculty of Economy and Forestry foundation in 1919, the courses Anatomy of Wood and Forest Utilization, Wood Industry and Trade were taught by prof. Andrija Petračić.
The Institute of Forest Utilization was founded in 1924 and was led by the Head of the Institute, prof. Aleksandar Ugrenović, who was teaching Forest Utilization, Wood Industry and Trade. In 1941 prof.  A. Ugrenović retired, and this course was entrusted to dr. Ivo Horvat. In the school year 1945/46, prof.  Aleksandar Ugrenović returns to become the lecturer of the courses in Forest Utilization, Wood Industry and Trade.

 

In 1948 the Institute for Forest Utilization grew into the Institute of Wood Technology as the new nucleus that would create new institutes of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology or new Institutes of the future Department of Wood Technology of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology.

 

The same year the Institute of Wood Anatomy was founded, led by dr.  Zvonimir Špoljarić. With the development and expansion of teaching, scientific and research activities in these two institutes, new courses were developed and conducted by:  Juraj Krpan, prof. Roko Benić, prof. Stanko Bađun, prof. Marijan Brežnjak, prof. Božidar Petrić, prof. Velimir Šćukanec, Master degree Radovan Despot,  prof. Vladimir Herak, Engineer Jurica Butković prof. and  Krešimir Babunović, Master degree.

 

With organizational changes at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology in 1995, a part of the Institute, or the Chair of Wood Technology comprising the courses on wood properties, and the Institute (Chair) of Anatomy and Protection of Wood, merged into the Institute of Wood Science.

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