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WWF European Forest Scorecards 2000
National reports
Contents
CountriesPage
Austria
Estonia
Finland
France
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UK
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WWF European Forest Scorecards 2000Austria
National reports
Austria
Gerald Steindlegger
WWF-Austria
P.O.Box 1
A-1162 Vienna
Austria
Tel:+43 1 488 17 - 216
Fax:+43 1 488 17 - 277
e-mail:
1Forestry - Production
1.1Data quality on traditional forest variables
Score: 2 Inventory model giving unbiased estimations for major variables
Comment: See nation wide inventory.
Source: "Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96", FBVA Wien,1997
1.2Forest growth compared to the potential production capacity
Score: 4 Annual growth corresponds to a level of more than 80% of the estimated potential production capacity (minimum 2 points in data quality)
Comment: The current average growth is 8,2 m3/ha/year, for production forests the current average growth is 8,7 m3/ha/year, that's more than 80% of the estimated potential growth.
Source: "Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96", FBVA Wien,1997
1.3Data quality non-wood goods (NWG)
Score: 1 There are national inventories, giving fairly reliable estimations of major non-wood goods
Comment: There are nation wide annual studies about game shooting and Christmas-trees- plantation area. Christmas tree plantations are not counted as forests area in Austria. For other NWG there exists no nation-wide inventory, except one thesis about possible sources for quantifying.
Source: "Nichtholzgüter und Leistungen. Versuch einer Quantifizierung", Diplomarbeit, Boku, H. Grieshofer, 1997, „Österreichischer Waldbericht 1996", BMLF 1998
1.4Status of non-wood goods (NWG)
Score: 2 The status of many major non-wood goods is considered fully satisfying
Comment: See 1.3; The status of NWG does not seem to be endangered. There are regulations for the exploitation of mushrooms and game. The lack of data prevents us to give a higher score (possibly 4).
1.5Government policy goals on forest production
Score:1 There are clearly stated government forest production policies though they do not fully reflect the UNCED and Helsinki declarations
Comment: Sustained yield is regulated in the forest law. Ecological aspects in sustainability are hardly defined.
Source: Forstgesetz, BGBl.Nr. 440/75.
1.6Government policy instruments on forest production
Score: 1 The policy instruments are considered fairly effective in contributing to fulfilling the goals reflected in UNCED and Helsinki declarations
Comment: See 1.5
Source: "Richtlinie für die Förderung forstlicher Maßnahmen aus Bundesmitteln", 1999, BMLF, "Österreichische Naturwaldreservateprogramm", BMLF, 1995, Forstgesetz, BGBl.Nr. 440/75.
1.7Data quality on potential harvesting levels of wood (PHL)
Score: 1 There are estimations of long term sustainable harvesting levels, mainly reflecting the traditional sustained yield concept
Comment: Austria has good data quality of PHL, but not reflecting social and ecological aspects.
Sources: „Österreichischer Waldbericht 1996", BMLF 1998
1.8Annual national harvesting levels compared to potential harvesting levels
Score: 4 Average harvesting levels corresponds to more than 70%, but less than 100% of the PHL level (minimum 1 point in data quality of PHL and minimum 2 points on traditional forest variables)
Comment: About 71 % of the potential level is harvested. The annual increment is 27,3 Mio.cm3.
Mean annual increment: 8,2 m3/ha
Mean annual yield: 5,9 m3/ha
Source: "Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96", 1998, BMLF.
1.9Harvesting of non-wood goods (NWG)
Score: 2Many of the major non-wood goods are harvested to at least 70% of what is economically feasible / sustainably possible.
Comment: Many of the major NWGs seem to be harvested to what is sustainably possible / economically feasible. See 1.4
*Hunting: harvesting of game population is regulated in hunting laws.
*Christmas trees: The area of Christmas tree stands increased 66%from 1992-1995.
*There are some problems with cattle grazing.
*Many NWG are harvested, but not for commercial purposes.
The lack of data prevents us to give a higher score (probably 4 ?).
Source: "Österreichische Waldbericht 1996", 1998, BMLF, "Umweltrelevante Aspekte der Christbaumkulturen in Österreich", BE-103, UBA, 1997.
1.10Data quality on over utilisation of forest soils
Score: 0The available data do not meet the above demands
Comment: There is no nation-wide data available. There exist some detailed small located studies.
Sources: Glatzel, G., „The impact of historic land-use and modern forestry on nutrient relations of central European forest ecosystems." Fertilizer Research 27/91
1.11Over utilisation of forest soils.
Score: 1The removing of biomass do not exceed the capacity most of the forest soils
Comment:
Since 0 in 1.10 only score 1. Though there are no statistics experts usually state that there is hardly any over utilisation in Austria, the score would have been estimated as 3-4. Threats to the soils are acidifying air pollutants and soil degradation cause of unsuitable forest stands.
Source: Mündl. Mitteilung: Dr. Hager, Boku, 1998, Mündl. Mitteilung: Dr. Leitgeb, 1998, FBVA.
1.12Diversity of tree species in young forests
Score: 1In most regions the young forests have a good diversity of major naturally occurring tree species. Most major naturally occurring tree species are adequately represented
Comment: The forest inventory shows, that in most regions regeneration has a good diversity. Deficits are in mixed conifer-broadleaf-stands (spruce -fir-beech, cause fir is by far not adequatly represented and beech often not adequately regenerated we are not allowed to give a higher score.) 56% of the natural regeneration area is equipped with more than three tree species.
Source: "Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96", 1997, FBVA, „ Österreichischer Waldbericht" 1996,p.16, 1998;
1.13Data quality on expected future wood quality at maturity from young trees, given the current form of management
Score: 2There are data available permitting good estimations of the expected future wood quality resulting from current forest management practices
Comment: There are case studies about the influence of certain factors (management measures, game browsing etc.) on the future wood quality.
Source: "Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96", 1997, FBVA, "Österreichs Wald - Vom Urwald zur Waldwirtschaft", 1994, Wien
1.14Future expected wood quality at maturity from young trees, given the current form of management
Score: 2Between 40 and 49% will have the potential to be used for mechanical purposes (minimum 1 point on data quality)
Comment: As the score in data quality is only 1, 2 points are given, although we believe that (assumed the current management keeps going on) more than 50% of the wood will have the potential to be used for mechanical purposes.
*About 3 billion trees are the stock. 1/3 are damaged. Causes:
Game:8 %
Harvest:7 %:
Rocks:3%
Others:17%
90-95% of these damaged trees get infected with fungus etc. decreasing their wood quality to a degree that they can't be used as sawn-wood.
*In 1990 about 58% of the wood harvested in Austria where used for sawmills. The prognosis for 2000 is nearly equal.
Source: "Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96", 1997, FBVA, "Österreichs Wald - Vom Urwald zur Waldwirtschaft", 1994, Wien, European Forest and Timber Scenarios into the 20th century, ECE/FAO, 1996.
1.15Data quality on economic aspects of forestry
Score: 2There are good economic data available on the forestry sector
Comment: Economic data of the Austrian forest inventory and the Forest report is quite detailed and based on fairly reasonable research methods. Additional university institutes cover this issue carrying out research projects. Data published in the „Österreichischer Waldbericht" cover all relevant categories of forest owners
Source: "Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96", 1997, FBVA, "Österreichischer Waldbericht 1996", BMLF, 1998.
1.16Economic viability of forestry
Score: 1The gross income from forestry is larger than costs for operations, but is insufficient to cover costs for management
Comment: For forest owners over 500 ha the relation between income and costs is 1,127, for the Austrian Federal Forests it is 0,947. For small forest owners the numbers are differing very much and there is no annual data material available. All in all we estimate that the income covers the costs for operations, but not for all management measures.
Source: "Österreichischer Waldbericht 1996", BMLF, 1998.
1.17Research to develop non-traditional products based on the forest resource
Score: 0A sum corresponding to less than 0.39 % of the gross value of felled volume is invested in developing non-traditional products based on the forest resource
Comment: The forest owner association is co-financing some projects like „Ecosystemic forest management in climatically sensitive areas" and there exists a co-operation with the university of agriculture concerning watershed management. The whole amount is estimated lower than 0.39% of the gross income of the forest owners. There exist no data material but in general private forest owner investments promote mainly product-development and not forest research.
Source: Walkner G., Hauptverband der Land- und Forstwirtschaftsbetriebe, 1999.
Sekot W. mündl. Mitteilung 1999.
1.18Quality of regenerations (afforestation and reforestation)
Score: 3At least 80% of the regenerated area have a sufficient number of seedlings of sufficient quality, properly distributed and of suitable species according to local / national recommendations
Comment: According to the nation wide inventory 87% of the regenerated area is natural regenerated. Though we think that this question is difficult to answer from the scientific point of view we estimate that at least 80% of the regenerated area has a sufficient number of seedlings of sufficient quality.
Sources: Österreichischer Waldbericht 1996, BMLF 1998, Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96
1.19Game damages to young forests/trees
Score: 0Game damages occur to an extent that do not meet the above demands
Comment: According to the Austrian nation wide inventory 85% of the regeneration area is damaged by game. More than 50% of the area are damaged in significant way.
Sources: „Wildschadensbericht", BMLF,1999; Österreichischer Waldbericht 1996, BMLF 1998, Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96
2Forestry - Environment
2.1Special ecological values created by afforestation (Only applicable if less than 4 points on 4.1)
Answered (yes/no): No
Score:
Comment:
2.2Nation wide inventories of undisturbed / old-growth forest areas
(Only in countries where relevant.)
Score: 1There are partly complete / fairly relevant nation-wide inventories mapping undisturbed forest areas and old-growth forests
Comment: There is no complete nation-wide inventory of the status of old-growth forests
though the government currently runs a program for establishing a net of natural forest reserves. Some studies contain data about existing reserves, the result of an Austrian wide study about the ecological status of the forests is that 3% can be classified as undisturbed. The distribution of this area is roughly mapped.
Sources: "Naturwaldreservate in Österreich", 1990, UBA Band 21, "Naturschutzgebiete Österreichs. Zusammenfassende Darstellung", Monographien Bd. 38 E, 1993 UBA, "Wie natürlich ist der Österreichische Wald?" 1996, BMLF, Mündl. Mitteilung: Dipl. Ing. Monika PAAR, UBA, 1999.
2.3Nation wide inventories of other forest areas with special ecological values
Score: 1There are partly complete / fairly relevant nation-wide inventories mapping other forest areas with special ecological values
Comment: There exists data about the Austrian nature forest-reserve program. A nation wide inventory of forest area with special ecological values does not exist.
Sources: Mündl. Mitteilung: Dipl. Ing. Monika PAAR, UBA, 1999.
2.4Data quality of the assessment of forests undisturbed by man made for the TBFRA- 2000
Score: 1The result is considered to be fairly reliable
Comment: The TBFRA-2000 quotes 0,9% as undisturbed by men (we do not know if this percentage has any connection to the protected forest area which shows exactly the same figure). A nation-wide study (Hemerobie Österreichischer Waldökosysteme) quotes 3% as „natural". The definition of natural is very closed to the TBFRA definition of undisturbed. The result is considered to be fairly reliable.
Source: „Hemerobie Österreichischer Waldökosysteme", G.Grabherr, G. Koch, H. Kirchmeir, K. Reiter, 1998
2.5Area classified as forests undisturbed by man
Score: 1Between 2.5 and 4.9% of the total forest is classified as undisturbed by man
Comment: About 3% of the forested area in Austria is classified as "undisturbed by man" in a study carried out by the University of Vienna, published in 1996. The definition of undisturbed is equivalent to the TBFRA one.
Source: „Hemerobie österreichischer Waldökosysteme", G.Grabherr, G.Koch, H.Kirchmeir, K. Reiter, 1998;
2.6Data quality of the assessment of plantations made for the TBFRA-2000
Score: 0The result do not meet the above demands
Comment: The TBFRA classifies 0% of the Austrian forest area as plantations. The Austrian study mentioned above quotes 7% as „artificial". According to the TBFRA definition of plantations, all artificial forest areas have to be classified as plantations.
The gap of 7% did not convince us that the results of the TBFRA could be considered as fairly reliable.
Source: see 2.5.
2.7Area classified as semi-natural forests or forests undisturbed by man
Score: 1Between 80 and 84% of the total forest is classified as either semi-natural or undisturbed by man
Comment: 7% of Austrian forests are "artificial"(equivalent to plantations) and 3% natural. The rest (90%) can be classified as semi-natural. So it would be score 3 but due to the model we are not allowed to give a higher score. (see scorecard model 2.4. and 2.6.)
Source: „Hemerobie österreichischer Waldökosysteme", G.Grabherr, G.Koch, H.Kirchmeir, K. Reiter, 1998;
2.8Government policy goals on converting existing plantation type forests to semi-natural type forests (Only if more than 5% plantations)
Answered (yes/no): YES
Score: 1There is a fairly clear policy goal on converting existing plantation type forests to semi-natural type forests
Comment: The Austrian Minister of Agriculture and Forestry stated such goals several times in public.
Source: "Wie natürlich ist der Österreichische Wald", 1996, BMLF.
Pressekonferenz September 1997: WWF, ÖBF und BMLF
Forest programm in the regional rural development programm,1999, BMLF.
2.9Data quality on standing dead wood
Score: 2There is reliable national data on the amount of standing dead wood in non-protected forests
Comment: In the nation-wide forest inventory good data quality is carried out 1992-1996 based on random sampling.
Source: "ÖsterreichischeWaldinventur 1992/96", FBVA Wien,1997.
2.10Average volume of standing dead wood in non protected forests
Score: 1The average volume of standing dead wood in non-protected forests is between 2.5 and 4.9 m³/ha
Comment: 4,5 m3 / ha is classified as standing dead wood, the volume increased about 10% since compared to former inventories. There seems to be a decrease in tending and similar management measures especially in remote areas.
Source: "Österreichische Waldinventur 1992/96", FBVA Wien,1997.
2.11Natural large scale disturbance regimes (fires, storms etc.) effect on biodiversity
Score: 2The level of natural disturbance regimes is comparable to the historic / natural level on a substantial part of the forest area with a production function (plantations excluded)
Comment: There are no national statistics about it, therefore the evaluation is difficult. As fires are irrelevant for the dynamics of forest ecosystems, and the effects of storms are hardly influenced by management, only the prevention of beetle disturbances has an effect and torrent and avalanche control may be a factor to calculate. An exception are the influences of river control measures, power plants etc. on the dynamics of riverine forests, but the area of these ecosystems is very small.
Source: "Ausweisung flußtypisch erhaltener Fließgewässerabschnitte in Österreich", BMLF, 1996.
2.12Government policy goals on forest environment
Score: 1There are clear government policy goals on forest environment, though they do not fully reflect the UNCED and Helsinki declarations, interpreted as to sustain naturally occurring forest-related species under natural conditions over their entire area of distribution
Comment: The stated goals may not fully reflect the declarations in this interpretation. The goals meet the claim of preserving forest types and habitats but they don't make visible the strategy for the protection for all forest related species.
2.13Government policy instruments on preserving forest related species.
Score: 1The policy instruments are considered fairly efficient in contributing to sustain naturally occurring forest related species under natural conditions and in vigorous populations over their entire area of distribution
Comment: There are a many legal regulations and subsidies supporting the goals. They can be considered as quite efficient.
Source: „Österreichisches Programm zur ländlichen Entwicklung", 1999 BMLF, Federal law: Bundesverfassungsgesetz, Forstgesetz, BGBl.Nr. 440/75, Forstliches Vermehrungsgutgesetz, BGBl. Nr. 419/96, Umweltkontrollgesetz BGBl. Nr.127/85, Holzgütezeichengesetz, BGBl. Nr. 228/93, Übereinkommen zum Schutz der Alpen BGBl. Nr. 477/95, Übereinkommen über die Erhaltung der europäischen wildlebenden Pflanzen und Tiere in ihren natürlichen Lebensräumen, BGBl. Nr. 372/83. Provincial law: Jagdgesetze, Naturschutzgesetze, Nationalparkgesetze, Fischereigesetze.
2.14Data quality on ecological site adaptation
Score: 1There is national data on ecological site adaptation that permits fairly reliable estimations of performance
Comment: A study, "Umweltgerechte Waldnutzung", UBA, 1994, gives an overview about problematic fields in forest management concerning ecological issues. A lot of studies analyse certain impacts of forest management measures.
2.15Ecological site adaptation
Score: 2The potential to maintain / restore natural elements like old trees, dead standing trees and fallen dead wood is well utilised on a substantial part of the area subjected to wood harvest operations (minimum 1 point in data quality)
Comment: Though the amount of dead wood is increasing, there are regulations - related to pest control - in the forest law interfering with this issue and bringing some uncertainty to forest managers.
Source: Forstgesetz, BGBl.Nr. 440/75, Waldinventur 1992/96, 1997, FBVA, "Umweltgerechte Waldnutzung", UBA, 1994
2.16Data quality on implementation of landscape adapted forest management
Score: 1There are at least fairly good data available on the ability of forestry operations to maintain the unity and integrity of major landscape elements, like the forests surrounding water courses, wetlands etc.
Comment: Since 1990 a management plan (Waldentwicklungsplan) covers the whole area considering the leading functions of the forests. This is a base for landscape-related planning on a regional level. There is no nation-wide data about operations on a forest-mangement-unit level.
Source: Verordnung über den Waldentwicklungsplan BGBl. Nr. 582/1977
2.17Implementation of landscape adapted forestry
Score: 2Forestry operation maintain the unity and integrity of major landscape elements, like the forests surrounding water courses, wetlands etc. in many cases (minimum 1 point in data quality)
Comment: Influences on integrity and unity of landscape elements
* 7 % of Austrian forests are plantation-like.
*Forest roads: 98.400 km private roads, 40.600 km public roads and 140.000 km extraction lines
Score due to 2.16 (score 1), otherwise 3.
Source: Verordnung über den Waldentwicklungsplan BGBl. Nr. 582/1977 , "Österreichischer Waldbericht 1996", BMLF, 1998, "Wie natürlich ist der Österreichische Wald?, Symposiumsmappe",BMLF, 1997.
2.18Set-aside /management of forest areas with special ecological values
Score: 1Forest areas with special ecological values are set-aside or managed in order to sustain these values in at least some cases