Austrian Forest Development Plan - Forest functional areas

The Austrian Forest Development Plan is an essential instrument of forest spatial planning, which through forward-looking planning should contribute to sustainably and optimally maintaining and promoting all forest functions. The four forest functions described in the Austrian Forestry Act (Section 6(2) of the Forestry Act 1975) are assessed and the function in the primary public interest is presented as a guiding function. Useful function (green): In particular, the economically sustainable production of the raw material wood. Protective function (red): In particular, the protection against natural hazards and harmful environmental influences as well as the preservation of soil strength against soil run-off and drift, debris formation and landslides. Welfare function (blue): Impact of the forest on the environment, balance of the climate and water balance, purification and renewal of air and water. Recovery function (yellow): Recreation room for forest visitors. Valuation is to be qualified by a value figure which expresses the degree of public interest in the respective function. For the protection, welfare and recreation function, the value is defined by values (0= no public interest, 1= low public interest, 2= increased public interest, 3= special public interest). The utility function is not subject to a multi-level evaluation and is the guiding function if none of the other three functions has a high value (value digit 3).