About us

The Protective Forest Hub was launched in September 2020 and is operated by four partner organisations, each with specific expertise and decades of experience. The BML is working together with the Austrian Federal Forests Corporation, the Federal Forest Research Center and the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna on a strong protective forest for the future!

The Protective Forest Hub relies on a formal and operative partnership of the cooperation partners. They are all directly involved in the development of the Protective Forest Hub and contribute their expertise, competences and resources.

The partners in detail:

  • Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, Directorate III/4 - Torrent and Avalanche Control and Protective Forest Policy (BML)
  • Bundesforschungszentrum für Wald (Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape, BFW)
  • Österreichische Bundesforste AG (ÖBf)
  • Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU)

In addition, associated partners are acquired which cooperate with the Protective Forest Hub for specific activities or projects. Partners are acquired on an ongoing basis. Important partners are:

  • Provincial Forest Services
  • Office and members of the protective forest association (“Österreichischer Schutzwaldverein”)
  • Land&Forst Betriebe
  • Landesjägermeisterkonferenz (Conference of the Presidents of the hunters associations of the Federal Provinces)
  • Chamber of Agriculture
  • Alpine associations
  • Tourism associations
  • Environmental protection associations

The Protective Forest Hub is actively engaging education and training, provides a venue for exchange and also establishes a model protective forest area and a model torrent catchment area for research on climatic and natural challenges.