Forest

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

Knowledge transfer for climate sensitive forest management
Continuous education efforts, awareness rising, workshops for practitioners and interested people to convince them for an actively managed forest especially focused on the climate change items.
First of all small-scale private forest owners (about 70.000 in A with less than 5 ha) and new forest owners (not directly connected to farms and farmland) shall be informed about an active sustainable forest management (harvest).
On the other side consumers will be encouraged to use wood and wood products as much as possible

Small-scale private forest owners may be re-interested in forest management when they are properly informed about the challenges of climate change and adaptation.
Dissemination of knowledge has to address a broad public at its needs on a general level to raise awareness significantly
Top down initiatives always have to be supplemented with bottom up approaches to raise their effectiveness

National campaign 20126 - 2021
“The use of wood is good for the climate – we make forests climate fit”
Central messages – climate change creates new realities
#1
Climate Change is a fact – and it affects forests
#2
Paris Agreement enforces the signatories to move from talking to doing
#3
In Austria, temperatures increased by an average of 1,8 Deg C in the 20th century, with increases being recorded at all altitudes
#4
A crucial factor to make forests fit for climate change is adaptive forest management
#5
The forest- and wood-based sector plays a key role in climate change
#6
The efficient use of wood as a renewable raw material and energy carrier includes a considerable reduction in anthropogenic carbon
#7
Mitigation: the harvesting potential should be fully utilized considering general sustainable conditions to mitigate climate change
#8
Adaption: it needs active sustainable forest management practices in order to create stable and vital forest stands which withstand climate change induced disturbances, e.g. storms, diseases and droughts

The project aims to develop new models of prefabricated ultra-lightweight panels consisting of a combination of solid wood products, wood-based products and the use of thermal and acoustic insulation. The application of a tongue and groove system to assemble panels to each other and solid pieces of traditional heavy wooden framework, emulating a semi-heavy framework, will allow the development of a new innovative construction system aimed at modular construction, quick assembly and with enormous versatility and adaptation to different designs and types of construction.

Just started

The structural characterisation of the panels will be carried out by means of mechanical laboratory tests, as well as thermal, acoustic and watertightness characterisation by analytical means.

The aim of the project is to develop a construction system known as High Efficiency Light Panel (HELP). Consists of a set of innovative solutions based on a mixture of lightweight timber framing and cross laminated timber (CLT), for the manufacture of "Zero Emission" walls, slabs and roofs.

There is an improvement of the structural capacity of the construction system that allows more height (3-4 floors) than with the traditional lightweight building. The positioning of a three-layer or CLT board on the inside of the walls acts directly as a vapour barrier, saving the cost of installation.

The new building solutions are based on wooden or wood-base panels which will be subjected to tests, analytical calculations and numerical approximations for their structural, thermal, acoustic, watertight and fire resistance characterization. In addition, its environmental characterization (CO2, reutilization) will be carried out.
A solution with the new construction system has been defined for use in slabs, walls and roofs. Spreadsheets have been developed to obtain thermal transmissivity, surface and interstitial condensations, sound absorption and structural capacity.

The proposal proposes to methodology for the evaluation of the economic and financial sustainability of the poplar plantations, incorporating to the most usual analysis of profitability, by means of the calculation of the IRR and NPV indicators, the perspective of annual revenue for the forest owners. The methodology seeks to lay down the principles of the economic aspects to bear in mind, overcoming the approach of the calculation based only on the costs and income for hectare and it was not possible to compare with other crops.

In progress

The analysis with this new perspective allows to evaluate the rentability of the activity and to compare it with those of other agrarian crops which can occupy the same surfaces. In addition, they have stable subsidies that increase their competitiveness in the agro-forestry areas. The proposal establishes for the first time the term "forest income" for consideration to the "agrarian income", with which shares many assailable aspects. The comparative one between the calculation of both incomes can be of great usefulness for the invest decisions on the part of the owners, managers and responsible administrations.

Scots pine wood from the Region of Pinares (a region located between the provinces of Soria and Burgos) enjoyed great prestige in the Spanish market, despite the fact that it lacked a common standardised basis among the companies in the sector that would allow  to launch a regulated product on the market that would facilitate its commercialisation.
There was also a mismatch between the quality of the product and the quality of the service offered to the buyer by the industry.
In this context, the first guarantee mark was created in the wood sector, the Guarantee Mark Pino Soria Burgos.

The main lesson learned is that the wood sector requires common marketing standards that make it easier for users to buy their products, eliminating confusion and insecurities that lead to a rejection of the use of wood. They also allow generating a mercantile reference to compete with the rest of products, whether made of wood or other materials such as concrete, steel, pvc…
It also allows for closer ties between the business and technology sectors, which guarantees continuous improvement of the business sector through both training and innovation.

This guarantee mark is based on three basic pillars: Guarantee of origin, sustainability (all forests and their processors are certified under the PEFC system) and quality (common marketing bases are established).
More than 48 municipalities and the Community of the 150 villages of the Land of Soria, and a total of 15 companies of first transformation of the wood, have joined.
On the other hand, we have managed to join a sector that until the creation of the Guarantee Brand was completely dispersed. In addition, its close relationship with Cesefor (forestry and wood technological centre) has enabled it to carry out extensive certification of its products (CE marking, PEFC, carbon footprint), training courses (cost control, structural calculation, wood treatment, etc.), and innovation projects (structural characterisation, development of new building systems, etc.). Currently, the companies of the Guarantee Mark are references in the Spanish wood sector and in the construction sector.

1. Forest modeling and management diagrams 2. Development of tools to improve the quality of wood 2.1. Use of acoustic techniques for the valorization of wood 2.2. Establishment of quality standards 3. Update of volume equations (model trees) by laser 4. Incorporation of aerial laser in the valuation of forest use 5. Improvement and standardization of the techniques of signaling and characterization of the uses In progress (Expected results) The general objectives of this project are: - To analyze the factors that determine the quality of standing timber. -To obtain practical management standards that allow forest managers to manage their forest based on forest quality. - To create standardization tools validated by the industry in terms of performance and final product quality.