Forest management, ecosystem, resilience

Comparison of operating results of forestry operation in Switzerland. The network undertakes regular monitoring of many forest enterprises (ca. 30%) and elevates their market situation and a big set of economic data on a yearly basis. With these data, best practices guidance on competitive forest enterprises are elaborated and benchmarking approaches are outlined

The structural conditions are the main cause for the economic success. Unclear strategic positioning and operational deficiency are key factors for the resulting negative operating results in average, besides the high labor costs and small structured forestry operation

The TBN describes many economic, financial and structural indicators for 28% of the forest surface in Switzerland as a reference for benchmarks. Data and evaluations are available for the years 2008 – 2010, 2011 - 2013 and 2014 – 2018 of the participating forestry operation. Important factors and their influence on the operation results can be determined. Appropriate solutions for different situations and context can be found more easily

IT-based simulation (SorSim) for revenue estimation for single trees or tree stands. Modelling of the stem form, height, diameter at breast height (DBH) from tree species.  Supports decision makers in production- and utilization processes

SorSim is an IT based tool which allows to predict values on single tree-level and tree stands

SorSim allows an adequate calculation of the revenues of single trees and tree stands with the information’s of quality, quantity and the assortment. The information basis includes: tree species, tree age (height), stem-form

SiWaWa 2.0 is a simple developed new forest growth simulation model for practitioner (Android-App). SiWaWa needs only the number of the stems [N], the basal area per hectare [G] of a certain stand to generate separated the stem distribution curve according to the DBH-classes. SiWaWa 2.0 supports the decision makers in two aspects: Silvicultural and forest planning. It supports the foresters in a better understanding of the state point and forest development

Free available Android-App, which could be used in the following fields:
1. Strategy: Goal dimension of the trees, cutting time
2. Care concept: Coordination of harvesting time, optimization of productivity
3. Measurements: Urgency and priority
4. Analysis: Starting point and forest development without interventions. Definition of intervention measures and simulation

A practical tool intended to guarantee the survival of a sustainable and effective protective forest at a minimum cost. Based on the assumption that the state of the forest is crucial to its ability to provide effective protection against natural hazards, silvicultural requirement profiles are described for different forest locations and natural hazards This method gives an overview for every protection forest type, helps to clarify the management goal and shows the achieved management results. It makes them verifiable and simplify the discussion in the field of protective forest management for practitioners, authorities and academic staff Standard method to characterize protection forest’s needs and to manage them according to identical objective criteria. The management results are verifiable for the protection forest authorities. This method is used to improve the quality in protection forest management

The marteloscope plots have exact defined surfaces with each tree numbered and measured for long-term studies. Using software and mobile devices, the demo concept allows direct feedback on silvicultural decisions and related ecological and economic effects during training. Evaluation of different management strategies and their consequences can be objectively discussed by forest practitioners, authorities, decision makers, scientists or other interested groups directly on site. Silviculture is based on scientific principles. With well-documented observation plots and marteloscopes, we provide instructive visual and practice objects and also learn ourselves from their development. The aim is to preserve silvicultural knowledge and make it accessible for practice.

HeProMo is an IT-based tool to predict the costs of timber harvesting for different harvesting scenarios under different aspects such as harvester logging. It allows certain settings to reflect the real situations in the forest. It offers a big information yield in the fields of preliminary costing and sensitivity analysis

The productivity model (HeProMo) predicts quickly and with a good accuracy the costs for concrete timber harvesting scenarios. It allows the identification of optimization possibilities. The application is quite easy to handle and gives a solid basis for good economic choices

Estimation of productivity and cost for wood harvesting operations (preliminary costing). Writing and controlling of offers for wood harvesting operations. Estimation about of variables and their importance (sensitivity analysis). Well suitable for application in teaching, education and research to identify key contributing factors and assessment of their influence on the results

Forest management based on the latest available technical solutions and satellite data (Sentinel2 and caliper with georeferencing possibility). Determinization of rough wood according to tree-species for the entire forestry operation surface. Realtime wood stock management and silvicultural measure planning reviewed with silvicultural planning simulations. Rolling management approach on an annually basis for optimization of economic, ecological and social values. Management units of approx. 30 hectares defined to enhance efficiency of the entire process. Reduction of rotation periods according to tree-species

Advanced forest management and silvicultural planning on a good wood stock analysis with proximity in time is one key factor for optimization of forest management, silvicultural measures and wood production incl. better selling possibilities. New learning process possibilities. Enhanced reaction times on requests of all sorts and in the case of extreme events (storms etc.). The approach allows the better exploitation of the growing wood potential, reducing the rotation period and thereby fostering the climate change adaptation potential. Efficiency enhancement in economic, ecological and social dimension with the aid of modern techniques is possible and will become more prominent in the future

Efficiency enhancement in economic, ecological and social dimension. Increased yield and cost reduction resulting in enhanced profitability while providing stability for wood stocks. Reducing discards by adaptation to climate change and active monitoring of sustainability principles. Exploiting of new selling opportunities. Active learning possibilities through Realtime verification of work processes incl. field work (work plan -> validation -> assignment -> verification). Better integration possibilities of all actors in the field and active work support. Better communication possibilities with players of downstream markets

Sustainable development can only be advanced sucsessfully through cross-sectoral integration and cooperation. The new Austrian government structure is a clear and effective response to this challenge. Forest sector needs to play a central role in achieving the sustainable development goals. Government recently established a new Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism with responsibility for agriculture and forestry, environment and water management, energy and climate protection, regional development and tourism. Forestry like other sectors of land use and environment do not operate in isolation, they are close interlinked. Forest circumstances vary strongly from region to region and country to country. There is no one fits all solutions for forest issues. The Seven Pillars may need to be adjusted to the very different situations. However, in their essence they are fundamental and independent. Seven pillars #1 A clear commitment to sustainable forest management, which is a legal obligation #2 A solid legal framework providing for protection and sustainable management of all forests through clear property rights and tenure rules #3 Effective institutions for law enforcement #4 Forest management is fast evolving, therefore research development, education and training are crucial success factors #5 A balanced system of financial instruments from utilization, investments, taxes, subsidies and PES need to work together #6 Stakeholder involvement in forest policy development and implementation as like the Austrian Forest Dialogue ensures a broad interlinkage to forest policy deliberations #7 A smart forest information system, based on indicators for sustainable forest management by regular monitoring and assessment is needed for possible adjustments of the governance system

Search for pilot areas, biomass sampling and extraction preparation
Extraction of essential oils and hydrolysis of biomass
Characterization of compounds present in essential oils and residual hydrolyzed biomass

In progress

(Expected results)
Development of innovative biofuels and bioproducts from forest biomass with little or no use as bushes and forest treatment residues through state-of-the-art techniques applied throughout the value chain.
To define the best management, harvesting techniques and forestry treatments for rockrose, juniper, rosemary, pine and eucalyptus. Selection of pilot action areas.
To develop a prototype of continuous extraction of essential oils using microwave technology.
Production, analysis and testing of products in the laboratory and in the field: biocides, solid biofuels (pellets) and liquid biofuels (ethanol).

SAXMEL intends to become a novel highly systematized and protocol-based approach aimed as a solution to contribute improving current forest management practices acting at local scope. SAXMEL consists of a catalogue of services composed of identified key processes considered essential to solve major problems affecting forest resource development. Also it includes some inner processes and procedures aimed to steer the system itself functioning such as resource management, communication, financing & founding, ...SAXMEL has been conceptualized based on some key mainstays: participatory approach, transparency, self-sufficiency, selfgovernance, territorial persistency, technical criteria-based, local scope.

1- Providing solutions to and gaining interest from public administration is a failed task as their functioning are far from efficient, transparent and sound
2- There is a great need from private stakeholders towards integral solutions to forest resource problems, this has been checked on several territories
3- SAXMEL´s concept approach is valid preliminarily, although implementation needs to be broadly validated.

Currently the solution is under development, being piloted in the municipality of Gondomar (Pontevedra, Galicia) thanks to broad support from 80% of comunity-scope forest landowners. There is an approved regional operational group as well as a national operational group stilll both pending from funding.