Šume oduvijek imaju važnu ulogu za čovječanstvo. Složen su ekosustav koji s obzirom na njihovu samoobnovljivost, prirodnu strukturu i sastav predstavlja jedan od najvažnijih resursa. Imaju veliku ulogu koliko u ekološkom, toliko i u ekonomskom smislu. Pružaju razna staništa, hranilišta te mjesta za razmnožavanje. Osim što su vrlo bitne zbog proizvodnje kisika, šume štite područja od erozije, bujica i poplava, utječu na vodni režim, plodnost, klimu, unaprjeđuju čovjekovu okolinu stvarajući povoljne uvjete za liječenje, oporavak i odmor, te pomažu razvoju turizma. U ekonomskoj ulozi, šumarstvo i drvna industrija imaju posebno važnu ulogu. Taj značaj promatra se kroz zaposlenost, utjecaj na ukupni bruto domaći proizvod, ukupnu vrijednost proizvodnje i ukupnu bruto dodanu vrijednost. Važno je da se društvo u cjelini složi uzimajući u obzir brigu o raspodjeli koristi i troškova, jer se često individualni ekonomski interesi šumskih korisnika često razlikuju od interesa cjelokupnog društva. Šume su kompleksni, samoorganizirajući i samoobnavljajući sustavi s mnogo prirodnih procesa koji odgovaraju na vanjske i unutarnje utjecaje. S ekološke strane, one imaju vrlo važne hidrološke, protuerozijske, klimatske i protuimisijske funkcije, a također imaju i vrlo važnu ulogu u zaštiti prometnica.

Forests always play an important role for humanity. Compounding the ecosystem due to their renewability, natural structure and composition is one of the most important resources. They have a major role as an ecological, as much in economic terms. They provide a variety of habitats, feeding and breeding sites. Besides being very important for the production for oxygen, trees protect the area from erosion, flood and flooding, affecting the water regime, fertility, climate, improving the human environment, creating favorable conditions for treatment, recovery and rest, also helps the development of tourism. The economic role of forestry and wood industry have a particularly important role. The importance is observed through employment, the impact on the overall gross domestic product, the total value of production and total gross value added. It is important that society is whole agreed taking into account the care of the distribution of benefits and costs, as is often the individual economic interests of forest users often differ from the interests of the entire society. Forests are complex, self-organizing and self-healing systems with many natural processes that respond to external and internal influences. On the environmental side, they have very important hydrological, anti-erosion, climate and anti-immission functions and also have a very important role in protecting the roads.