The forest in general

The forest has a significant effect on the landscape around it, the people, soil, water and air, as well as on fauna and flora. These functions are so closely interconnected that people are only gradually gaining an understanding of the relationships between them.

The four primary functions of the forest:

1. Commercial benefit

Wood is a versatile resource which is constantly regrowing and is produced in an environmentally friendly way. However, in addition to the wood, forests yield other products. This includes berries, mushrooms, herbs and wild game, although they aren't of particular economic importance.

2. Protection

Depending on their location (mountain, rivers, etc.), forests perform a protective function which is very beneficial not only to people, but which is vitally important to flora and fauna.

a) Protection of the soil

Forests prevent soil erosion by water and wind. The strong network of roots in woodland ground prevents rockfalls and landslides on slopes. The risk of soil erosion by water depends on the incline of terrain, on the type of soil and on rainfall levels. Therefore, all forests in steep locations perform a soil protection function.

b) Avalanche protection

Avalanche protection is a special aspect of the soil protection function of woodland. It can stop avalanches from occurring or bring smaller avalanches to a stop.

c) Water protection

Woodland makes a considerable contribution towards the water regime. The woodland ground stores large amounts of water, preventing water flowing away from the surface. Once its storage capacity is exhausted, the water is filtered through the soil and drains off into the groundwater, increasing the available groundwater which can be tapped off.

c)  Climate protection

The woodland equalizes daily and annual fluctuations in temperature, increases relative humidity and steps up the formation of dew. Since the woodland climate is characterized by reduced sunlight exposure and higher relative humidity, air temperatures in summer are generally lower there than in the open. There can be differences of 3° to 6°C between it and open spaces and 4° to 8°C between it and urban environments. Large belts of connecting woodland close to cities can have a positive impact on climate. The differences in temperature between the woodland and the city bring about a continuous exchange of air, causing pure, better quality air to flow into the built-up areas.

d)  Immission protection

Woodland filters dust, gases and radioactive substances from the air. The filter effect of woods is particularly dependent upon the foliar surface. For example, 1 hectare (100 x 100 m) of spruce woodland can filter out 420 kg of contaminant particles, whereas a beech woodland of the same size, which sheds its leaves in winter, can only filter out 240 kg of contaminant particles. Gases can mainly be absorbed if the treetops are damp and the gases can dissolve in the rainwater (acid rain).

3. Recuperation

People seeking recuperation are most likely to regard woodland as nature in the original sense. It offers visitors a calm, relaxing environment and a favourable climate for recovery. However, the woods are becoming increasingly popular for sporting activities.

4. Special functions

a)  Protection of the landscape

Woodland shapes the landscape and characterizes its appearance.

b)  Protection of nature

Woodland is often a defining feature of national and natural parks. Woodland preserves many unique prehistoric and historic cultural relics (cairns, ramparts, Roman roads, remains of the Limes (boundaries of the Roman Empire), etc.).

The woodland in Vorarlberg

Vorarlberg is about one-third covered with woodland, i.e. 94,000 hectares. This area and its diversity are indispensable to natural equalization in our country. The wood growing there isn't just an important raw material; it also serves to create thousands of jobs.  Over 3,500 people make a living from forestry. Our natural woodland is vital to us as an environment for recuperation, for protection against avalanches and mudslides, to safeguard drinking water and for tourism. We live from the woodland; just picture it:

About half of our woodland provides safety and protection. It protects built-up areas and roads from the effects of mudslides and avalanches.  Were we to lose this safety and protective woodland, more than two-thirds of the area of the country would be threatened; the material damage would be tremendous. It is up to us to take appropriate action to care for and safeguard this area.

The quasi-natural make-up of the woodland in Vorarlberg is demonstrated by the distribution of species of trees: most areas are characterized by a balanced mix of woodland.

Spruce predominates with 50%, followed by the queen of trees, the silver fir, with 25%.

The woods are used in a way which is close to nature, something which is also borne by the fact that there is barely any difference in terms of distribution of species of trees between the commercial woodland (i.e. the woodland which is mainly used for wood production) and protective woodland. The woodland limit in Vorarlberg is at an altitude of 1,700 m, although it can also rise to 2,000 m, as is the case in the Montafon.

Two-thirds of the tree stock is found above the 1,000 m mark. The special significance of the protective function of the woodland is apparent from the fact that 28,000 hectares of woodland grows of slopes with a gradient in excess of 60%.

The annual growth in woodland is 6.6 m of solid timber per hectare per annum. This means that there is twice as much wood grown than is used in Vorarlberg. Whilst this brings about a large stock of usable wood in one respect, over-ageing is also a natural consequence. Thus, almost one-fifth of our trees are more than 140 years old. Therefore, attenuation of the woodland is particularly important.

The motto here is protection through use.

Almost 6,000 private owners share most of the woodland in Vorarlberg. There aren't the sorts of industrial operations that exist in the regions in the east of the country. Agricultural communities and local authority-owned woodland are mainly a feature of the south. Plots of small and micro-woodland often predominate in the north, due chiefly to estates being split many times between heirs. Given the facts that these plots are so small and undeveloped, they are difficult to manage commercially.

The basic requirement for having a sustainable woodland economy which is close to nature is to build roads through the woods. Forest roads make it easy to implement protective measures quickly, such as those required after high winds bring down trees. A forest road is also a place of work, serves as a point of storage for timber and forms the basis for transporting timber using cable crane systems. It is important that forest roads are built to harmonize with the landscape and are adapted to suit the terrain. Woodland cannot be managed sensibly without suitable means of access, which would also make them difficult to preserve.

Our woodland is a special, natural characteristic aspect of our cultural landscape and an important feature of Vorarlberg's rural beauty. The woodland improves the quality of air by releasing oxygen and filtering out soot and dust in the treetop canopy.

The woodland has an equalizing effect on climate and regulates the water regime. The woodland absorbs rainfall, filters and stores it and releases it slowly and evenly into sources and groundwater. Healthy and diverse woodland is an irreplaceable basis for life for people, as well as for fauna and flora.

However, a big problem for domestic forestry is the falling revenue from the management of woodland.

Back in 1960, the revenue from one meter of solid timber covered 50 hours of wages for forestry workers; now it only covers four. This is jeopardizing the care and utilization of woodland. Cheap imports from low-wage countries and the inconsiderate exploitation of woodland, as well as distorted transport costs have brought about a drop in prices.

Processing firms are importing from Scandinavia on account of the open market, and even the Siberian larch is appearing on the facades of more and more houses in Vorarlberg. Distorted transport costs, a lack of environmental awareness and a lack of understanding on the part of planners are contributing towards this development.

The "Fir Land Initiative" aims to heighten awareness of the need for the high-grade wood and silvery appearance of the queen of trees, the silver fit, on the facades of our houses, thereby increasing the use of local wood.

From 10 am

Nach der Einführung erfolgt der Anstieg in das Waldgebiet (min 30).