Projects and research

Protection Forests in the Alpine Region – Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change - Project MOSAIC

Climate change is undeniably contributing to the increase in weather- and climate-related natural disasters, affecting Alpine communities. Natural disasters are often the result of compound events, which are combinations of multiple climate- and/or weather-related hazards that contribute to societal or environmental risks.

Unit for Snow & Avalanches

A Novel EU Project Provides Forest Information for Europe’s Roadmap Towards Climate Neutrality - Project

A better monitoring of Europe’s forest will help countries mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Department for Forest Inventory

NatWALD – Identification, selection, establishment & monitoring of new natural forest reserves - Project NatWALD

Natural forest reserves (NFR) have gained political and social importance due to current challenges related to climate change and the biodiversity crisis. The aim of the NatWALD project is to expand the existing network by setting up 15 new NFRs (approx. 500 ha) with a contract period of 20 years.

Unit for Natural Forest Reserves

Research group investigates the behaviour of forest fires - Project EMERGE

Forest fires have so far been a marginal topic in Austria, but in the future an increase in such events is expected. A group of researchers is currently investigating how the behaviour of fires in forests can be better assessed.

Unit for Remote Sensing

Man sieht durch den Sucher einer Kamera Waldarbeiter im Wald

Forestry training goes digital - Project 2ForT

Forestry is very much practice-oriented, so the digital paths in education are not yet very developed. The project 2ForT wants to change this circumstance.

A red-hot future for Austria’s forests - Project Austria Fire Futures

In the future, the risk of forest fire will be a permanent threat of summer in Austria as well. How we can better deal with it is being researched in the Austria Fire Futures project.

Unit for Remote Sensing

Forest Genetics: Preserving the Spruce Tree - Climate change

The research initiative “Green Heritage” was launched to improve the production base and stand security for the spruce tree in Austria permanently. For this purpose, the genetic background is investigated for certain properties, in order to develop markers which, in turn, can be used for genetically supported breeding strategies. This research project at BFW is […]

Unit for Ecological Genetics

BFW supporting a harmonized assessment of forest availability for wood supply in Europe - USEWOOD

A new definition on forests available for wood supply has been found! BFW together with partner institutions recently published a paper on this topic.

Unit for Inventory Design & Analysis

The European network Integrate - Network

As early as the COST Action E27 on the harmonization of protected forest areas (2002-2006), it became clear that protected forest areas in the strict categories account for only around 3% of Europe's forest area. The question therefore remains: what is happening in terms of biodiversity conservation in the remaining 97% of the forest?

Department for Forest Biodiversity & Nature Conservation

SUSTREE: Science based solutions and decision-support tools for adapting forests to climate change - SusSelect App

Climate change is likely to alter the future growth capacity of European forests in providing vital ecosystem services. Adaptive management aiming at reducing vulnerability and enhancing the resilience of forest ecosystems is a key to preserve the potential of forests.

Department for Forest Growth, Silviculture & Genetics

Exploring ICT solutions for snow and avalanche assessments - Report

The motivation for this exploratory study came from the observed increasing demand for up-to-date information on snow conditions and avalanches in decision-making processes.