Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

Climate change observed in recent years has led to rise in the frequency and magnitude of meteorological phenomena such as violent storms, intense rainfall or heat events, which have triggered floods, mass land movement, droughts, and wildfire. The intensification of severe weather conditions has put a strain on forest stand regions in Europe. Weather-related stressors are considered the leading factor in the degradation of forest stands and the growing susceptibility of trees to pathogenic agents. The new dynamic situation has substantially altered the conditions of forest management in Poland. Long-established management methods have had to be revised, and new approaches developed to face the emerging or aggravated threats to forests. It has become apparent in many cases that sole silvicultural techniques will not be sufficiently effective and should be supported or supplemented by technical solutions to respond adequately. We discuss our research and findings in the domain of engineering solutions applied in forests to optimise the road network, limit the effects of natural hazards, implement hydrological restoration and alter water storage. The article presents the management of natural hazards and adopted engineering approaches from a Polish perspective. Case studies of applied solutions to prevent and limit the damaging effects of natural hazards and disasters on forests are included.