The effects of climate change, wars, migration and overexploitation of natural resources and changes of land-use patterns are particularly severe in mountain regions. Global energy problems and the attempt to substitute fossil energy with renewable energy sources have triggered an increase in the demand for biomass. This may increase the potential for landuse-conflicts with severe consequences for people living in mountainous areas. A disproportionate number of the world’s poorest people live in mountains.

Ever since forestry became an academic curriculum at UNI BOKU in 1875, the complex management of mountain forests was a central issue. In the second half of the 19th century industry had advanced to the mountain regions and had to be supplied with ever growing amounts of wood. Pastoralists competed for land at the timberline while avalanches, debris flows and floods threatened villages below newly clear cut areas. Thus foresters were - from the beginning of academic forestry in Austria – challenged to consider multiple stakeholder interests in the sustainable management of mountain forests.

5 Years MS-Curriculum "Mountain Forestry" at UNI BOKU Vienna
135 Years Academic Forestry at UNI BOKU Vienna
133 Years Mountain Forestry Research at BFW

In the second half of the 19th century industry had advanced to the mountain regions and had to be supplied with ever growing amounts of wood. Pastoralists competed for land at the timberline while avalanches, debris flows and floods threatened villages below newly clear cut areas.

Fossil fuels brought major changes for mountain forestry. Energy from wood and mountain waters became less important and the production of high quality timber advanced to a paramount issue.

Nowadays the sustainable production of wood in mountain forests to meet the demand of society and to ensure the livelihood of land owners and forest workers has to consider additional factors such as drinking water, biodiversity, tourism, air pollution and climate change. In order to brace against potential energy shortages in the future, concepts for prudent use of forest biomass for energy will have to be developed.