‘Forest roads are the lifelines of the forest. They not only give us access to the forest, but also fulfill a variety of functions: they enable sustainable management, help with pest control and forest fires, and increase the diversity of the habitat. Without them, the forest and its effects could not be used by people.”
LFBÖ President Felix Montecuccoli
Vienna (OTS) – For many forest visitors, the forest roads that run through Austria’s forests serve as an essential part of beautiful hikes. However, these are not only useful for recreational purposes, but above all absolutely necessary for the protection, care and management of the forest!
At first glance they seem inconspicuous, the often gray gravel forest roads with green grass strips that lead through the Austrian forests. But appearances are deceptive, because these roads serve as the central lifeline of the forest and, in addition to making the forests accessible, also enable their sustainable, multifunctional and small-scale management. Only through these roads is it possible for people to use the four functions of the forest: utility, protection, welfare and recreation. And although they are often perceived as polarizing, forest roads are essential to making local forests climate-fit for future generations in challenging times.
The forest owners decide and bear responsibility for the construction and maintenance of the roads, whereby strict legal regulations must be observed, especially during construction. Detailed planning documents must be submitted for every new construction, which are subject to official review. In addition to forestry regulations, nature conservation regulations are also important.
The construction of these roads forms the basis for orderly and sustainable forest management. The roads in the forest are not only used for timber harvesting and marketing, but also fulfill an essential purpose in maintaining the forest, such as combating bark beetles. Drastic examples such as those in East Tyrol show how pest infestations can spread massively without the necessary infrastructure to remove damaged wood. Natural, small-area forest care and management requires a sufficient network of forest roads. People, tools and equipment have to come into the forest and wood has to be transported. The roads are also necessary for rescue operations, fire services and to supply huts.
Forest roads also play an important role in protecting the forest. Triggered by climate change, Austrian forests are also experiencing increasing heat and dryness, especially in the summer months. This circumstance increases the risk of forest fires, which in an emergency can only be extinguished quickly and efficiently thanks to well-developed forest roads. Past events, such as the devastating forest fire on the Rax in 2021, illustrate the serious consequences for the forest when this essential infrastructure is missing. And only through active care of the forest can its welfare function, such as its beneficial influence on the climate, be maintained.
But the forest is also a valuable habitat for people and nature. Forest roads also contribute to biodiversity in the forest, as light and heat-loving species live here. The forest also has enormous recreational potential for people, which is exploited during hikes and walks on the easily accessible forest roads.
DI Felix Montecuccoli, President of Land & Forest Companies Austria, emphasizes: “Forest roads are the lifelines of the forest. They not only give us access to the forest, but also fulfill a variety of functions: they enable sustainable management, help with pest control and forest fires, and increase the diversity of the habitat. Without them, the forest and its effects could not be used by people.”
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The Land & Forest Companies Austria is the voluntary association of Austrian land managers with the aim of maintaining Austria’s forests and fields as a business basis and added social value and to create awareness of the concerns of private agricultural and forestry businesses and their activities. The member companies of Land & Forest Companies Austria together manage more than a quarter of the Austrian forest and produce one in five tons of Austrian grain.
Questions & Contact:
Land & Forestry Companies Austria
Thomas of Gelmini
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E-Mail: gelmini@landforstbetriebe.at
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