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HybOakAdapt – Genomics of hybridization in white oaks for climate-adapted Austrian forests - Project

The project, funded by the Climate Energy Fund, investigates white oak species complexes as a model system and the role of hybridization in climate adaptation. A particular focus is on Austria and south-eastern Europe.

Unit for Ecological Genetics
Portraitbild Georg Frank

Natural forest reserve expert Georg Frank retires - Retirement

Dr. Georg Frank, head of the Natural Forest Reserves unit at the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW) for many years, will retire at the end of January 2025.

Unit for Natural Forest Reserves

RE-ENFORCE – Transnational Cooperation on nature-based solutions for restoring degraded forests of Central Europe - Project RE-ENFORCE

The forests of Central Europe provide a diverse range of ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, protective functions, biodiversity support, and job creation, while also serving as cost-effective measures for climate protection. However, the effects of climate change are increasingly threatening forest ecosystems and presenting them with major challenges in terms of adapting to changing climatic conditions and protecting biodiversity.

Unit for Forest Growth
Drei Frauen sitzen an einem Tisch und diskutieren

The future of the ‘forest – wood – paper’ sector is determined by research - FTP network meeting 2024

The annual meeting of the Austrian Forest Technology Platform on 19 November 2024 at the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW) in Vienna initiated an intensive discussion of the future of the sector in the presence of Johan Elvnert from Brussels (Secretary General, FTP).

Press-Releases

Forest Groove – forest biodiversity in harmony - Project "Forest Groove"

When pupils investigate the biodiversity of the forest not with a microscope but with a microphone and create their own sound mixes, then they are part of the innovative Sparkling Science project "Forest Groove" of the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW). The project creatively combines science, environmental education and music.

City – Tree – Soil - Project

The ‘City - Tree - Soil’ project is investigating how the urban environment affects the soil and tree growth.

Unit for Site & Vegetation
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
Buchenwald im Herbst, mit teils verfärbten Blättern

Climate change: How forest owners are being helped - ManageBeech Project

Global warming is forcing forest owners to adapt their forests to future climatic conditions. In the course of forest conversion, the future of the forest is to be secured with new tree species or combinations. But climate fitness is not the only goal: forests should be profitable, have a high level of biodiversity and also act as a greenhouse gas sink. How to reconcile all this is the focus of the two-year ACRP research project ManageBeech.

Department for Forest Ecology & Soil
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
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

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
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