In particular, the present Forest Programme identifies future-oriented objectives and measures for all relevant fields in order to safeguard a sustainable management of forests. This Policy outlines clear standards in order to balance all components of ecological, economic and societal importance for Austrian’s forests and utilise them in the best possible way. Furthermore, this programme constitutes a big step forward in terms of the sustainable development of the country. Also with respect to the process and the method the Austrian Forest Dialogue sets new standards for the democratic way of decision making. There are seven thematic areas as follows: 1) Contribution of Austrian forests to climate protection; 2) Health and vitality of Austrian forests; 3) Productivity and economic aspects of Austrian Forests; 4) Biological diversity in Austrian forests; 5) Protective functions of Austrian forests; 6) Social and national economy aspects of Austrian forests; 7) Austria’s international responsibility for sustainable forest management. Chapter III sets out the indicators relating to the Goals of the Austrian Forest Programme, inter alia, as follows: 1) Expansion of forest areas in regions with low forest cover, paying attention to ecological, economic and social compatibility and special respect to provisions of forest land-use planning; 2) Optimisation of forest use and forest cover taking into account economic, ecological and social framework conditions (integrative planning); 3) Stabilisation of forest ecosystems in the face of pending climate change by promoting and, where necessary, improving sustainable forest management as well as development and implementation of appropriate adaptation measures; 4) Maintaining and improving the resistance of forests against abiotic and biotic risks; 5) Enhanced dissemination of information, motivation, and strengthening of measures for active climate protection in all relevant fields in compliance with international agreements binding on Austria; 6) Consistent execution of existing laws of relevance to air pollution control and further development of the statuary protective provisions regarding forest-damaging air pollutants based on scientific expert opinions, 7) Maintaining and improving the resistance of forests against abiotic and biotic risks; 8) Application of ecosystem-oriented (silvicultural) management methods (particularly adapted to specific site and stand conditions) in the framework of sustainable forest management (including appropriate planning and execution); 9) Consistent execution of existing laws of relevance to air pollution control and further development of the statuary protective provisions regarding forest-damaging; 10) Enforcement of forest site mapping in order to implement the provisions of the Alpine Convention according to existing relevant recommendations, periodic realisation of a forest soils survey and further development towards a monitoring of soils across land-use options; 11) Best possible reduction of emissions according to the state-of-the-art in the fields of transport, industrial plants and household fuels in Austria and, in particular, in the countries whose air pollutants reach Austria due to long-distance transport; 12) Strengthening close-to-nature forest management and improving the use of site-conforming technologies of utilisation; 13) Optimisation of forest use and forest cover taking into account economic, ecological and social framework conditions (integrative planning); 14) Enhanced dissemination of information, motivation, and strengthening of measures for active climate protection in all relevant fields in compliance with international agreements binding on Austria; 15) Maintaining and improving the resistance of forests against abiotic and biotic risks; 16) Increased utilisation of wood as a renewable raw material (material and energetic use) – best possible substitution of fossil fuels; 17) Increasing employment in rural areas in forestry and wood-based industries in the best possible way; 18) Forest culture: innovative management of traditional and historical knowledge in forestry including also social and cultural aspects of sustainable forest management; conservation of important objects and equipment of forest culture; 19) Improved forest-related education programmes for the general public which take place in the forest, in particular programmes of forest education illustrating practical approaches to sustainable development; 20) Expansion and active support of international transfer of knowledge and technology related to sustainable forest management in the fields of administration, research, education and vocational training as well as in the framework of international economic activities; 21) Controlling illegal logging, destruction and degradation of forest ecosystems as well as the associated timber trade in an effective and sustainable manner. The text consists of 6 Chapters: International and National Context of the Austrian Forest Programme (I); Thematic Areas of Forest Policy (II); Indicators relating to the Goals of the Austrian Forest Programme (III); The Work Programme of the Austrian Forest Dialogue (IV); The Austrian Forest Dialogue (V); Annexes (VI);
Austria · 2007-01-01