The aim of the study is to determine the innovation strategy of contractor firms in the Slovak forestry service sector in the area of further innovation activities development. The strategy identification was based on the analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in this sector. The results indicate that weaknesses of contractor firms exceed their strengths and, considering the degree and importance of their impact, opportunities exceed identified threats. Based on these findings revealing the relations in the area of innovation activities of forestry service contractors, the “Strategy of Partnership” was suggested as the most suitable type of strategy. It can be concluded that such a form of grouping cooperation brings many benefits to contractors in the form of information availability, guidance, training, and management of conflicts, risks and uncertainty, which are associated with the innovation process.

Water-related forest ecosystems services (WES) are vital to the functioning of the biosphere, society, and human well-being. In Slovakia, the active support of WES is provided by economic instruments of forest policy, while the market-based solution as payments for water-related services (PWS) is lacking. Starting from this point, the objective matter of the paper is to develop the payments for WES schemes in Slovakia. The study was based on document analysis and stakeholders´ opinions towards PWS. Fifteen Slovak stakeholders from forestry, water management, and nature protection were involved in the study. These stakeholders represent potential buyers, seller, intermediaries, and knowledge providers in PWS schemes. Based on the theoretical background and the results of the survey, the authors defined key aspects of the design and implementation of PWS schemes in Slovak conditions such as potential buyers and sellers, important factors for the implementation of PWS schemes, and the role of public authorities.

The aim of the paper is to analyze and evaluate the long-term impacts of the transition from agricultural production to ecological farming on the quality of runoff water in small catchments based on the analysis of water samples in the period 1986–2022. A total of 111 samples were analyzed. The following parameters were determined: nitrites, nitrates, chlorides, sulphates, phosphates, iron, coliform bacteria, and pH. Until 2006, the catchment was intensively managed by using artificial fertilizers and chemical preservatives. Since 2006, the catchment has been managed exclusively in an ecological way without the use of fertilizers and chemicals. The results of the analysis confirmed the positive impact of the transition of agricultural production to ecological farming, especially in the parameters of nitrates and chlorides. The greater use of organic fertilizers has caused an increase in coliform bacteria in the runoff water. The long period of the research also caused it to be possible to assess the impact of other potential factors. Changes in pH parameters and sulphates indicate an improvement in air quality. Changes in nitrite and iron parameters may indicate climate change associated with more intense precipitation activity.

The aim of the study is to quantify the impacts of a possible transition to close-to-nature forestry in Slovakia and to compare the expected development of the total volume production, growing stock, merchantable wood increment and harvesting possibilities of forests in Slovakia with current conventional management using the FCarbon forest-growth model and available data from the Information System of Forest Management. The subject of the study was all forest stands available for wood supply (FAWS). The simulations were run in annual iterations using tree input data aggregated over 10-year-wide age classes. The calculation of wood increments was based on available growth models. In the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, stock losses were based on the actual intensity of wood harvesting in the reference period 2013–2022. In the scenario of the transition to close-to-nature forest management, the losses were specifically modified from the usual harvesting regime at the beginning, to the target harvesting mode in selective forest at the end of the simulated period. With the modelling method used, a gradual increase in forest stocks occurred in both evaluated scenarios in the monitored period, namely by 10% in the case of BAU and by 23% in the case of close-to-nature forest management until 2050. In absolute mining volume, CTNF is by 5–10% lower than BAU management, with the difference gradually decreasing. The results show that the introduction of close-to-nature forest management will temporarily reduce the supply of wood to the market, but this reduction will not be significant and will be compensated by a higher total volume production, and thus also by increased carbon storage in forests.

Water reservoirs are an important source of drinking water in Slovakia and are managed under the control of regional water utility enterprises. These enterprises face increasing challenges due to ecological pressures, land use conflicts, and technological constraints. This paper investigates the external factors that influence the management of drinking water reservoirs and their implications for water quality. Using the PESTLE framework (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental), we analyse case studies from four Slovak reservoirs: Málinec, Turček, Nová Bystrica, and Hriňová. The data was collected in 2025 using structured interviews with representatives of four water management enterprises and forest managers (three respondents from Málinec, Turček and Hriňová, two respondents from Nová Bystrica), whose forests surround the chosen water reservoirs. The analysis reveals that forest management, stakeholder relations, extreme climate events, and outdated infrastructure significantly affect water treatment efficiency and operational costs. While national water policy provides a uniform regulatory framework, the case studies demonstrate that local conditions and governance dynamics strongly impacts the water management utilities and its performance in drinking water treatment.