Forests not only serve the production of wood, but also environmental protection, recreation as well as the preservation of habitats for animals, plants and fungi. From a sustainable perspective, forests combine ecological, economic and social function and their expoitation should be carried out in a way that maintains biodiversity, productivity, regenerative capacity and vitality. This was the conclusion of the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe in 1993, and the resulting legal regulations made Europe – alongside Asia – the only continent with consistently growing areas of forest ans stocks of wood. From a global perspective, however, forests are considered to be under threat. In many parts of the world, they are declining rapidly – as a result of fires and illegal logging for land reclamation.

To preserve forests as habitats and economic areas, as CO2 stores and suppliers of renewable raw materials, illegal logging, industrial clearing and monocultures – as still practised in parts of Europe – must be stopped.

The challenge of climate change

Advancing climate change is putting forests to the test: extreme weather conditions such as long periods of drought, forest fires and pest infestations are jeopardising their useful function and subjecting timber prices to extreme fluctuations. Moreover, their protective function against avalanches, mudslides and rockfall is also being jeopardised as a result. The closure of numerous hiking and cycling trails is also affecting forests' recreational function. To safeguard these functions in the future, forests have to become climate-ready, which means fulfilling criteria such as:

• regenerative capacity and resilience
• ongoing carbon storage capacity
• the production of renewable raw materials (and thus replacement of fossil raw materials)

in the long term. Active, climate-smart forestry meets these requirements, and in combination with site-dependent forest reorganisation measures such as

• increasing the diversity of tree species
• the use of sustainable seeds and seedlings
• forest management and thinning
• the regulation of game populations

ensures the multifunctionality of forests.

"Active and near-natural forest management can ensure the long-term protection and preservation of the complex, multifunctional forest ecosystem. Biodiversity and important habitats for animals and plants can be preserved, the soil protected, water quality improved and, last but not least, carbon stored. Important local jobs and, of course, the renewable raw material wood – the only raw material available in sufficient quantities in Europe – are also safeguarded."
Georg Eret, Head of the Klausen forest district of Österreichische Bundesforste AG

The forest of the future

In Europe, the proactive conversion of forests towards the increased planting of climate-adapted tree species and more mixed forests is crucial for a positive long-term climate impact.[1] Species-rich mixed forests are the most resilient and are therefore well equipped for climate change.

In the future, the proportion of spruce below 600 metres above sea level will decline sharply due to rising temperatures, drought and forest pests. The more resistant Douglas firs, larches and silver firs could eventually replace them. Hardwoods will generally play a supporting role in the future, especially oak and sycamore maple. These species cope well with drought stress and are very adaptable. Noble deciduous tree species such as sweet chestnut or walnut will also increase in number in the future, as they are particularly suitable as mixed tree species. Forest reorganisation naturally also has an impact on wildlife. The greater the diversity, the more habitats there are. This also means more space for rarer species.

Mixed forests also have the advantage of producing more timber in the long term, i.e. if many different tree species live together, the trees grow faster. The reason for this is the structural complexity that goes hand in hand with species diversity. In particular, a mix of shade-tolerant tree species with those that require a lot of light proves to be effective.[2]

Wood as a raw material: is its use ecologically justifiable?

The topic of forests as a carbon store is currently at the centre of public debate. The climate protection effects of wood utilisation are being discussed with a considerable degree of controversy. It is often argued that trees should be left in forests as a carbon store. This is also in order to achieve the European Union's climate protection targets. Calculations assume that by 2050, the target year for climate neutrality, more carbon will be stored in forests if no timber is removed. However, experts point out that other temporal dimensions must be taken into account when managing forests, as their growth must be considered over periods of more than 100 to 150 years.

A new Europe-wide study also showed that in unmanaged areas of forest, a large proportion of wood production is lost to the deadwood fraction, as natural competition between trees leads to the premature death of 5 – 20 per cent of all trees each year.[3] In addition, younger trees tend to be better stores of CO2. Forests renewed through reforestation therefore bind more carbon dioxide than a forest that is not managed and is overaged. A certain amount of deadwood should nevertheless be encouraged in order to preserve the forest as a habitat for plants, animals and fungi.

"Forest management means that the trees are removed before they die naturally, which means that the interventions take place at an optimum time for climate protection. The wood can be processed into wood products, and these continue to store carbon. Or it can replace fossil fuels."
DI Dr Peter Mayer, Head of the Federal Research Centre for Forests (BFW)

The system of supply and demand also plays an important role in the question of ecological acceptability, which means that sustainable wood consumption – in terms of quantity and type of utilisation – is also decisive for the assessment. The most efficient possible use of raw materials, a long service life for wood products and comprehensive recycling are required in order to ensure a sustainable, climate-friendly timber industry. The use of wood as a construction material, for example, results in the long-term storage of CO2 in buildings and furniture. Furthermore, the extraction and processing of wood requires less energy than comparable building and construction materials, which means that greenhouse gas emissions are also avoided.

The utilisation of wood to produce energy, i.e. its use as fuel in the form of logs and pellets, should ideally occur at the end of the cascade use, as a recycling option or through the utilisation of residual materials from wood production. The advantage here also lies in the substitution of fossil fuels such as crude oil or natural gas, which makes wood which is used for the production of energy into an important component in the bioeconomy[4] and the associated political and economic strategies. This not only supports Europe's energy independence, but also creates value chains with income and jobs.

Certifications for wood products

Various certifications and standards for wood products such as wood used for the production of energy ensure the ecologically, economically and socially sustainable management of forests. The two best-known international seals are:

• PEFC (Program for the Endorsment of Forest Certifictation)
• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)

PEFC and FSC have a lot in common, and they both provide certification according to the following criteria:

• appropriate operational planning for the size of the forest
• the sustainable level of management
• the protection of biodiversity and the special consideration of protected areas
• optimisation of the use of natural raw materials in products
• the establishment of site-appropriate tree species

The differences between the labels are in the details, such as the use of pesticides or the specific certification process.

RIKA plants trees – for a greener future

Sustainable environmental protection is part of RIKA's corporate philosophy. As part of a reforestation project, RIKA employees planted some 450 trees on a 1,600 m² site near the Adlwang production plant in Upper Austria. The area has been fenced off to protect the mixed forest from grazing livestock. The area surrounding the young trees will also be mowed regularly over the next few years to give them enough light and space to grow.

Sources: www.umweltbundesamt.de, Zuschnitt 91 (December 2023, proHolz Austria), www.wald-der-zukunft.at, www.klimafitterwald.at, www.bfw.gv.at, www.waldhilfe.de, www.topagrar.com, www.hswt.de, www.bundesforste.at

[1] Details and further information in the study "Climate-efficient utilisation of wood-based resources (KlimaHolz)". Published in: www.hswt.de
[2] Joint study by TU Dresden, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, University of Leipzig, University of Montpellier and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig. Results published in: Science Advances
Study by Hans Pretzsch in collaboration with the Federal Research Centre for Forests (BFW). Published in: Forest Economy and Management, No. 544/2023
[4] Bioeconomy stands for a sustainable economic concept in which fossil resources (raw materials and energy sources) are replaced by renewable raw materials and at the same time global challenges such as climate change, food insecurity and environmental pollution are addressed.