Projects and research

Box tree moth harming garden shrubs - Management strategy

Experts from the European Union and the Black Sea region discuss about measures taken against the aggressive moth. Soon infected box trees will be located again at cemeteries and in private gardens. The plant pest is easy to identify by the typical feeding pattern. The moth species is a well known pest in Austria and […]

Unit for Entomology and Forest Protection Procedures

Yes, we change! - Interreg project

Within the framework of the Interreg Alpine Space Project MANFRED over 20 institutions have addressed the issue of how mountain forests can be adapted to the risks of climate change.

Unit for Climate Impact Research Coordination

The forests at the Danube are the biggest semi-natural floodplain forest in Central Europe (picture: pixabay).

Detecting greenhouse gas emissions in floodplain forests - Climate change

Ecological processes in floodplains and their impact on greenhouse gas fluxes are still to be discovered. BFW therefore investigates the dynamic ecosystems in the Austrian Danube National Park.

Unit for Climate Impact Research Coordination

Transfer of Forest Seeds and Seedlings in Europe - Migration

Already in the 15th Century the first shipping activities of forest seeds were documented for Europe. Active trading became popular at the beginning of the 19th Century.

Unit for Ecological Genetics

The Transtree project: focus on short-rotation coppice

Transgenic Trees under the Microscope - Scientific recommendation

In Austria no risk assessment exists for trees and forests in the event that it should come to a release of genetically modified trees in the Federal territory or in neighboring countries. The Transtree project deals with the specific risks and the potential impact of transgenic forest trees for decision-making in Austria. The aim is […]

Unit for Genome Research

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

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

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

Drei Wanderer an einem See mit Wald im Hintergrund

WeNaTour – The European Alliance for Innovation and Sustainability Education in Welfare, Nature, and Tourism - WeNaTour Project

WeNaTour is a European project funded by the Erasmus+ program aimed at training new professionals for sustainable tourism and exploring emerging markets, while keeping the well-being of local communities and the preservation of the environment at the core of its strategies, towards a more responsible and sustainable future.

Unit for Forest Society & International Relations