Experts warn:

High game populations threaten our protection forests

Without protection forests, side valleys such as the Klostertal would be uninhabitable.

(Bild: Bergauer)

The condition of the forests in Vorarlberg is better than in other regions. However, there is still an urgent need for action, as climate extremes such as weeks-long dry spells are also increasing in the Ländle.

As is well known, Vorarlberg is populated right down to the furthest side valleys, so the risk of natural disasters is correspondingly high. The best protection against avalanches and mudflows are healthy forests. 89 percent of the forest areas in the Ländle have a protective function - if these forests were lost, many places would no longer be habitable.

Compared to other regions, Vorarlberg's forests are in good ecological condition. This is also due to the ownership structure: the forest belongs to many people, and large-scale monocultures have never been established due to this patchwork.

Climate extremes cause problems for the forest
And yet the forests in Vorarlberg are also under massive threat - primarily due to climate change. The dramatic consequences of this can already be seen in eastern Austria in particular: periods of drought and bark beetle infestation have deforested entire areas there. It is therefore no wonder that last year 55 percent of the entire timber harvest in Austria consisted of damaged wood. In comparison: in the 1980s and 1990s, when there was much talk of "forest dieback", this proportion was just 30 percent.

In 2023, 55 percent of the total timber harvest in Austria consisted of damaged wood.

(Bild: Land Tirol)

The climate extremes would not spare Vorarlberg's forests either, warns Walter Amann, Chairman of the Forestry Association: "Our settlements and infrastructure could be affected faster than we would like." It is therefore a matter of urgency to quickly rejuvenate the local forests with tree species that can cope with the changed conditions. In Vorarlberg, the focus must be on establishing mixed mountain forests, emphasizes Amann. Priority tree species are spruce, beech, fir and sycamore: "Four tree species are more reliable than one. If one species gets into trouble, for example due to the bark beetle, there is at least hope that the other three tree species will be able to maintain the forest function."

Game populations are too high in many places
Even if a change in awareness has already taken place among many forest owners, this rejuvenation cure is not a sure-fire success. One of the biggest problems in Vorarlberg is the high game population. In winter in particular, roe deer, stags and chamois leave hardly any young shoots untouched - with the result that the loss of silver fir, for example, sometimes exceeds 90 percent. "We need to adapt game populations to the available habitat. Of course, game is part of the forest, but overpopulation must be consistently counteracted."