Conflict Management - naturwaldreservate.at · Conflict Management - Case Studies from the Austrian Natural Forest Reserve Programme Janine Oettel & Herfried Steiner Institut für

Conflict Management -

Case Studies from the Austrian Natural Forest Reserve Programme

Janine Oettel & Herfried Steiner

Institut für Waldwachstum und Waldbau

6th International Symposium for Research in Protected Areas

Salzburg 2nd and 3rd November 2017

Outline of the presentation

1. The Austrian Natural Forest Reserve Programm

2. Conflicts

3. Case Studies

4. Conclusion

The Austrian NWR Programme 1995 Programme Start

Basis

1993 Ministerial Conferences for the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE)

1991 Alpine Convention – Mountain Forest Protocol

Porpose of the Natural Forest Reserves

Free development of natural processes and biodiversity

The principles of the NWR-Programme

• Voluntary participation

• Contract for 20 years

• no forestry uses (exceptions are hunting, legally requiered measures, preventing

liability claims)

• annual payment

The Austrian NWR Programme

Total area: 8.402 ha

No. of reserves: 195

Owner categories

Privat

Municipal owned

Agricultural Community

Church Property

NGO

Austrian Federal Forest Company (ÖBF-AG)Austrian Armed Forces

The Austrian NWR Programme

The Austrian NWR Programme

BMLFUW

Area suggestion

consultancy

Inspection report BFW Forest owner

The Austrian NWR Programme

• Grant research and sampling

• Grant access to the reserve

• Obligate report twice a year

Contract details

• No forestry interventions

(some particular exceptions)

• No game feeding

• Restrictions of the buffer zone

management

• Monetary details

• Right for a new calculation of the

compensation fee every 10 years

• Rules concerning the termination

of the contract

The Austrian NWR (NFR) Programme

Striven by the BMLFUW:

Semi-annual without giving

reasons

At any time:

• Public interests

• Browsing damage

• Serious changes in site

conditions

• Air contamination

• Breach of contract

Possibilities to opt out

Striven by the forest owner:

Only due to important reasons:

Default of payment by the BMLFUW

No value guarantee

Evident threat on the existence of the company

Repayment claims by BMLFUW

Opt out by the forest owner

Grossly negligent behavior of the forest owner

Conflicts

Legal Conflicts Nature Conservation Demands Public Interests

Contract violation Neophytes control Recreation

Bark beetle infestation Natura 2000 –

vegetation development

Property Protection

Function

Forest Fire Control Species Conservation Watersupply

Traffic safety

Forest community

Conservation

Conflicts emerge when different demands or interests meet.

Case Studies

Gradations of response

• No intervention

• Treatment of the attacked

trees (no insecticide within

the NWR)

• Salvage logging on small

areas near the border

• Salvage logging on larger

areas and reduction of the

NWR area

• Opt out

Legal conflicts with bark beetle infestation

Case Studies

Situation:

Reserve with 10 ha

Storm (Kyrill 2007) > bark beetle

infestation

On-site visit

Combation: cutting and debarking

the infested trees

Regular observation

Fast reaction and reporting

together with authority and BFW

Legal Conflicts with barkbeetle infestation – mechanical treatment

Case studies

NFR very close to the Hungarian

border

Selective browsing

Contracting party and hunter are

different persons

Wildlife damage control on small

fenced and unfenced sites

Visualization for hunters

Conflicts with browsing damage

Conclusion

High conflict potential because of many small reserves

Each concern needs to be individually analyzed and decided

No „general“ solution is possible

Communication and cooperation between forest owner, representative authorities,

BFW and BMLFUW is essential– creates respect, understanding and a sustainable

conflict solution

The idea is always to find the best possible compromise.

The value and the maintenance of the Natural Forest Reserves is prioritised.

Bundesforschungs- und Ausbildungszentrum

für Wald, Naturgefahren und Landschaft

Austria, 1131 Wien

Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 8

Tel.: +43 1 878 38-0

[email protected]

http://www.bfw.ac.at

Thank you for your attention!