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Marshrooms on a trunk

Austrian Forest Biodiversity Index - Book recommendation

The national forest biodiversity index is an aggregate of suitable indicators based on the criteria reliability, validity and objectivity. The outcomes show a relatively high score for Austrian.

Department for Forest Biodiversity & Nature Conservation

Video: Impact of Climate Change in Africa - Multimedia

Burkina Faso, situated in the west of Africa, experiences a tropical climate depending on its geographical location. The rainy season lasts for almost two to five months and is a major driver of its floristic and vegetational characteristics of the region. The typical park landscapes i.e. cultivated landscapes created for agroforestry practices are exposed to […]

Department for Forest Biodiversity & Nature Conservation
Flowers of Parkia biglobosa Foto: Marco Schmidt, CC BY-SA 3.0

Making Chromosomes Visible - Forest genetics

Parkia biglobosa (African locust bean) or Néré is a versatile tree species in Africa. Among other things, it has been and is the subject of a series of genetic examinations and provenance trials with the aim of selecting more drought-resistant forms. Despite all types of interest in this tree species, we have only poor knowledge […]

Unit for Provenance Research & Breeding

Sexuality vs. Sexuality Asexuality: The Importance of the Reproduction Mode for the dissemination of species - Ecogeography

As part of an FWF project, Christoph Dobeš examines the importance of the reproductive system for the geographical and ecological distribution of species.

Unit for Ecological Genetics
Test area in the Region Wienerwald

Austrian pine fit for climate change? - New test site

Climate projections forecast a rise of the Earth’s average temperature of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius until the year 2100. The prognosis for Austria is an increase of 3.5 degrees Celsius until 2100 (Österreichischer Sachstandsbericht zum Klimawandel, 2014). This will also lead to new challenges in the forestry sector. Sustainable managed forests and the utilization […]

Unit for Forest Growth

Two decades of natural forest reserves - Nature protection

20 years of natural forest reserves, 195 natural forest reserves over a total area of 8403 ha – almost the size of a  national park. Research in natural forest reserves is long-term research. This costs time and resources. And the long-standing observation plots are already bearing fruit. The Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme was initiated […]

Unit for Natural Forest Reserves

Biodiversity conservation of the native forests in the Austro-Hungarian border region - Interreg Project REIN

In order to counteract the rapid climate change in the Austro-Hungarian border region in practice, as part of the INTERREG project REIN-Forest , regional guidelines for forest reproductive material (FRM) transfer is going to be developed. Reforestation of six demonstration sites is planned with local and with adapted to the future climate FRM of two native tree species, European beech and sessile oak.

Unit for Provenance Research & Breeding

Development of a concept for the provision of forest reproductive material in Ethiopia - Juniperus procera

Ethiopia has embarked on one of the globally most ambitious programs of forest landscape restoration (FLR) with a commitment to restore more than 20 million hectare of degraded forest landscapes within the next 20 years

Unit for Ecological Genetics
Ansicht eines Bergwaldes mit Wasserfall in Rumänien

New Green Deal project (SUPERB) aims to improve forest restoration and ecosystem services -

Science and practice from across Europe are joining forces under the leadership of the European Forest Institute to ensure the long-term development of biodiversity and ecosystem services of our forests. The Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW) is contributing its expertise in silviculture, genetics and conservation in regeneration and afforestation measures to this effort.

Department for Forest Growth, Silviculture & Genetics
Wald mit mehreren Douglasien

Correctly assessing non-native tree species in the Alpine region - ALPTREES Project

Robinia, Douglas fir and red oak were introduced to Europe several hundred years ago and are among the 530 tree species that are non-native to Europe. The international ALPTREES project has developed a risk assessment system for this purpose and published manuals on the management of non-native tree species in forests and urban areas.

Department for Forest Biodiversity & Nature Conservation
Gruppenfoto der Teilnehmenden des Instituts für Naturgefahren an der INAC-Konferenz

First Inter-Alpine Natural Hazards Conference successfully carried out - Conference INAC

The first Inter-Alpine Natural Hazards Conference (INAC) took place in Innsbruck from May 5 to 7, 2025. Over 100 experts from Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Norway and Switzerland participated in the event. They came from the fields of science, industry, infrastructure and technology.

Unit for Snow & Avalanches

Conference “Preparing Europe for invasion by the beetles emerald ash borer and bronze birch borer” - Results of conference

The Conference Preparing Europe for invasion by the beetles emerald ash borer and bronze birch borer, two major tree-killing pests, held in Vienna, Austria, on 1-4 October 2018. The conference focus on the threats to European forests from two tree-killing pests, the emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, a buprestid native to SE Asia and […]

Department for Forest Protection