Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
International Workshop:Small Holder Timber Production Systems
Social, policy, legal and investment frameworksAustrian Case Study
Herbert Hager and Gerhard Glatzel
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Austrian Forestry Sector
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Austrian Forestry
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Hemerobie der österreichischen Wälder
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Austrian Forestry: Tree Species and AAC
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Austria a Small Holder Forestry Country
Aproximately 220000 small holders
90% of these are holding less
than 2ha
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Legal and Social Framework Austrian Forestry Law 1975 /2002
Forest land has to remain under forest utilization No clearcut larger than 0.5 / resp. 2.0ha No sale on the stump Reforestation/ regeneration duty of the owner (penalty) Forest land must render services to the public
e.g. free recreational use or nature conservation. National and EU conservation & environmental laws
Natura 2000. (chances... conservation contracts) National and EU wood products and trading standards Certification for SH
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
S H Timber Producers and their Problems in Austria &CE
Small Holders minor players in the market, can not offer volume to the industrial buyer
Small Holders have higher costs, because of problems with mechanization and utilization of machinery
Small Holders often produce on inferior sites due to land degradation from historical landuse practices
Small Holders are undergoing social change (urbanization, abandonement), have lost the knowledge or interest in managing forests
Small Holders love planting conifers (spruce, pine) Small Holders get less for their product (-10 to 20 Euro) Difficult timber certification process
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Strategies against these drawbacks and disadvant.
Organizational measures...chamber of agriculture and its forestry advisors and consultants
Organized timber auctions (espec. val. hardwoods) Small Holder Forest Growers Associations (WWG), Forest
Tending and Marketing Associations, Forest Machinery Users Association (Maschinenring).. ..Subsidies
Incentive Programs for regeneration or afforestation of higher tree diversity forests and amelioration projects
Contracted nature conservation projects (e.g. Naturwaldzellen)
Stimulation and award programs (e.g. Austrian Farm Forester of the year, Excellence in Forest Tending)
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Strategies against these drawbacks and disadvant.
Value added chain taken up by SHTGrowers; Diversification... Provider for heating and electricity
Pan European Process.... PEFC Certification---- makes FSC also available to SHT Growers , Certification of WWG
SHT enterpreneurship (ongoing research)
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Department of Forest and Soil Sciences
Thank you for attention ! And cool down with an Austrian winter landscape, where even trees take a break from growing.