The Faculty of Forestry commemorated 33 years of work

The Formal Academy, for the occasion of 33 years of work of the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Banja Luka, and 150 years since the discovery of the Serbian Spruce, was held on 22 December 2025. During the event, it was emphasized that this faculty is one of the most active ones in its sphere of work, with prominent international cooperation and significant participation in many projects directed to the preservation of animal and plant life in forest ecosystems in the Republic of Srpska.

Rector of the University of Banja Luka, Prof. Radoslav Gajanin, PhD, congratulated the staff and students of this faculty on the dedicated work that yielded numerous project activities financed from the European funds.

“Considering that the Faculty of Forestry participates in international projects, the results of those activities are successfully published in international refereed magazines by our teaching staff”, said the rector  at the formal event held at the Student Cultural Center of the University of Banja Luka.

Rector Gajanin said that the quality of studies at the Faculty of Forestry is equal to any European faculty of forestry, which was confirmed through participation in international projects, exchange of teachers, and students with European higher education institutions.

The Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Prof. Vojislav Dukić, PhD, said that this faculty was the first one within the UNIBl to start the implementation of the “Danube Regional Program”, directed towards the preservation of the field Ash tree with the habitat in the north of the Republic of Srpska.

He reminded that there were numerous activities throughout the year commemorating 150 years since the discovery of the Serbian Spruce, a unique kind of tree whose natural population is exclusively on the territory of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, along the Drina river canyon.

„In connection with that, our faculty has been visited by researchers from the University of Harvard, giving a strong international and scientific dimension to our activities”, said Dukić, and added that this year was also prominent for its publishing activity, as they published six books – three university textbooks and three scientific monographs.

During the Formal Academy, the graduates of the Faculty of Forestry were promoted, as well as the monograph „Pančićeva omorika (Picea omorika Pančić/Purk.) – Serbian Spruce” by Prof. Milan Mataruga, PhD.

One of the promoted graduates of the first cycle, Milan Sukur, continued the engagement as an Assistant and a student of the 2nd cycle of studies.

“Studying at the Faculty of Forestry was a nice and useful experience, and it additionally motivated me for further advancement in a technical and academic sense”, said Sukur.

The mission of the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Banja Luka is directed towards quality education and development of the scientific and research activity in the field of forestry, strengthening the expertise, ethical values and responsible relation towards nature, aiming to be positioned as a regional leader in this field.

Photo: A. Vidaković