Forest managers, natural and legal persons, owners of forest territories, as well as associations of private owners of forest territories or municipalities, can receive funding under Measure 8 "Investments in the development of forest areas and improving the viability of forests" of the Development Program of rural areas 2014-2020 (PRDP) . Within this measure, several sub-measures targeting the forestry sector and primary wood processing have been developed.
Under Sub-Measure 8.1 "Support for afforestation and creation of forest massifs", activities related to afforestation and maintenance of forest massifs are financed, including for soil preparation, purchase of afforestation material and greening, reseeding or replanting, treatment of plantations, etc. under. Under Sub-Measures 8.3 "Prevention of damage to forests from forest fires, natural disasters and catastrophic events" and 8.4. "Restoration of damage to forests from forest fires, natural disasters and catastrophic events" finances activities related to the creation, improvement and maintenance of fire-fighting infrastructure and other preventive activities against forest fires, as well as activities to restore damaged forests. Under Sub-Measure 8.5 "Support for investments to improve the sustainability and ecological value of forest ecosystems", projects are financed to convert coppice forests into seed forests and coniferous crops of non-typical habitats into natural plantations and to increase the attractiveness of the forest or forested area as places for recreation and rest, incl. costs for the construction of small-scale tourism infrastructure (footpaths, recreation facilities, signposts, information boards, shelters and observation points).
The main support for companies and other organizations developing activity in the field of wood harvesting and wood processing is provided under Sub-Measure 8.6 "Investments in technologies for forestry and in the processing, mobilization and trade of forest products" of the PRDP. This sub-measure supports investment projects for wood extraction (for specialized forestry machinery and equipment for felling, removal, loading and transport of wood, etc.), as well as for investments for pre-industrial processing of wood (includes the activities of primary mechanical processing of wood material by whipping, milling, cutting or developing, including drying and impregnation, as well as the production of wood briquettes and pellets). Within the framework of the woodworking projects, costs related to the construction, acquisition or improvement of buildings related to the primary processing of wood are financed, as well as the purchase of land, when this is directly related to the implementation of the project; purchase or lease of new machinery and equipment for primary wood processing, costs of acquiring know-how, patent rights and licenses and specialized consulting services.
