Moss, cones and conifer branches are often used to make Advent wreaths, but those intending to collect them in state forests managed by Hrvatske šume (Croatian Forests) must first obtain a permit. A permit for collection for personal needs is issued free of charge and can be created via the Hrvatske šume web application.
The issuance process begins with registration, after which the user selects the Forest Management Branch in whose area the collection will take place, as well as the products the person intends to take. Only products listed on the permit for the selected branch may be collected, and the permit is valid until 31 December of the year for which it is issued and only within the area of the chosen branch. A separate permit is required for collection in the area of another branch.
The quantities one person may collect during the day are limited. According to the Regulation on the Collection of Non-Timber Forest Products and the Use of Forest and Forest Land, one person for personal needs may collect one bundle of moss per day. It is permitted to take up to two kilograms of cones, up to five kilograms of conifer branches, but no more than three branches per day. For branches intended for making hoops and baskets, a limit of five kilograms is prescribed, and it is also permitted to collect up to 100 grams of lichens per day.
Personal needs are considered to be collection for oneself and one's own household. The collected material, as well as wreaths and other products made from it, must not be sold under such a permit.
The document must be carried during the stay in the forest and shown upon request by an official. Both a printed permit and a PDF saved on a mobile device are equally valid. The removal of branches is only allowed in parts of the forest where this is provided for in forest management plans, and the location and conditions of collection should be checked with the competent forestry office.
Collection is not permitted in fenced game enclosures nor in fenced parts of the forest that are in the regeneration phase.
