Editorial: Old-growth forests of southeast Europe and their relevance for forest management.

This editorial highlights the significance of old-growth forests in southeast Europe for forest management. The authors stress the importance of studying these forests, which have developed naturally without human intervention, to gain knowledge that can be applied to commercial forests. The authors also emphasize the threats to forest ecosystems, such as climate change and invasive pests, and the need to protect and preserve old-growth forests. They discuss the differences between old-growth forests and commercial forests in terms of structural diversity and biodiversity. The editorial concludes by underscoring the ecological and socioeconomic importance of old-growth forests in southeast Europe and the need for further research in this field. [Extracted from the article]