“Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme” of the federal government
Natural forest reserves (NWR) are forest areas designated for the natural development of the forest ecosystem, in which any direct human intervention is avoided.
Natural forest reserves (NWR) are forest areas designated for the natural development of the forest ecosystem, in which any direct human intervention is avoided.
Natural forest reserves contribute to the conservation and natural development of biological diversity. Due to the long-term design of the program, the natural developments of Austria’s forests resulting from climate change can be scientifically monitored.
Basis of the “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme”
With the signing of Resolution H2 of the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe in Helsinki in 1993, Austria committed itself to establishing a network of natural forest reserves.
The objective of this resolution is the conservation and improvement of the biological diversity of forests as a fundamental prerequisite for their sustainable existence and the fulfillment of their functions.
An obligation to establish a representative network of natural forest reserves is also included in the Mountain Forest Protocol of the Alpine Convention of 1991 in Article 10.
As of April 2025, a total of 200 reserves with a total area of around 9,150 hectares are included in the “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme,” established on a voluntary basis through contracts between the federal government and forest owners.
Main objectives of the “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme”
The aim of the “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme” is to establish one representative natural forest reserve per forest community and growth region. In Austria, there are a total of 116 forest communities, which are divided into 9 main growth regions and 22 growth areas.
The primary objective is to preserve and improve the biological diversity (biodiversity) of forests. This diversity is an essential prerequisite for the sustainable existence of healthy forests that can fulfill their functions, particularly the protection of our living environment. The main focus is on the conservation and (further) development of natural forest communities.
The “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme” is intended to enable the derivation of new insights for research and teaching (basic research) for ecologically oriented, close-to-nature forest management. Through long-term withdrawal from use, valuable scientific insights can be gained, particularly in connection with the impacts of climate change.
Organizational structure of the “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme”
The overall concept, including the planning, establishment, and management of natural forest reserves, is carried out by the Federal Research Centre for Forests (BFW) (Website in German only). The Institute of Forest Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, with its Department of Natural Forest Reserves, is responsible for the technical implementation as well as the scientific supervision of the Natural Forest Reserves Programme.
Administrative and financial matters are handled by Department III/3 of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management.
Forest owners contribute to the success of the Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme by maintaining ongoing contact with the project coordination (BFW), based on the contractually agreed reporting obligation, through semi-annual inspections of the forest areas as well as by reporting extraordinary events regarding the condition of the natural forest reserves.
Contract of the “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme”
The model contract for natural forest reserves was negotiated and agreed upon with the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, “Land&Forst Betriebe Österreich,” the Austrian Federal Forests AG, and the Federal Ministry of Finance. The “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme” is based on contractual forest protection, whereby forest owners voluntarily make their land available.
The federal government concludes private-law contracts with forest owners for a duration of 20 years (with an option for extension), in which the contracting parties commit to refraining from all uses and management measures within the reserve (with the exception of hunting). Through the mandatory semi-annual reporting on the condition of the reserve areas, forest owners are regularly involved in the management and monitoring of the forest areas.
In order to document the forest areas and make them comparable for the future, corresponding expert reports have been and continue to be prepared by the Federal Research Centre for Forests (BFW).
These reports serve as the basis for the classification of forest communities as well as for calculating the compensation for setting aside the forest areas.
The compensation consists of the “loss of use,” which is calculated based on the economic value of the forest area, and a “basic amount,” which depends on the size of the reserve and is paid for the contractual obligations and tolerances.
Payment is made from the budget of the Ministry of Forestry.
Contact persons:
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management
Department III/3
Mister Michael Prskawetz and Miss Brigitte Jelinek
Outlook
At present, a large proportion of Austria’s forest communities are already covered by the federal natural forest reserves.
In order to maintain and further expand the “Austrian Natural Forest Reserves Programme,” suitable areas of still missing or underrepresented forest communities are continuously being sought in cooperation with forestry authorities, forest owners, and interest groups.