NetworkNetwork „„ForestForest--CultureCulture AustriaAustria““ -- aa newnew wayway toto developdevelop andand encourageencourage socialsocial andand culturalcultural dimensionsdimensions ofof sustainablesustainable forestforest managementmanagement Elisabeth Johann Seminar on ForestryFachausschuss and Our Forstgeschichte 13-15 June 2005 Cultural HeritageÖsterreichischer Forstverein 1 ContentContent 1. IntroductionIntroduction 2. ImplementationImplementation andand strengtheningstrengthening ofof thethe culturalcultural performanceperformance andand potentialspotentials ofof AustrianAustrian‘‘ss forestryforestry 3. NetworkNetwork „„ForestForest--CultureCulture AustriaAustria““ 4. ConventionConvention concerningconcerning thethe protectionprotection ofof thethe WorldWorld CulturalCultural andand NaturalNatural HeritageHeritage 5. DiscussionDiscussion 6. ConclusionsConclusions Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 2 1.1. IntroductionIntroduction Austrian‘s forests have always been and are still the most characteristic element of the landscape (>47% of the territory) The woodland and its products (energy and nutrition) were the precondition for the welfare of the population from the first settlements till the 1850ies Already from the 16th century onwards a remarkable shortage of fuelwood caused by high industrial demand gave raise to the development of sustainable forest management and legislation Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 3 EpochEpoch ofof forestforest aestheticsaesthetics 19th19th centurycentury Social demands Owner‘s demand and forest management Ethical, social and Foresters developed cultural values of silvicultural methods woodland became following the concept more important and of nature. were highly Thereby they wanted appreciated to meet the economic particularly by the interest of forest urban society owners as well as the The idea of nature demand of society protection was forced by nature enthusiasts. Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 4 LandscapeLandscape protectionprotection inin thethe 19th19th centurycentury ProtectionProtection ofof naturalnatural landscapeslandscapes andand maintenancemaintenance ofof artefactsartefacts andand monumentsmonuments ofof culturalcultural heritageheritage Protection,Protection, maintenance,maintenance, promotionpromotion andand securingsecuring ofof naturenature justjust forfor itselfitself EmphasisEmphasis onon thethe ethical,ethical, aestheticalaesthetical andand socialsocial valuesvalues ofof forestsforests besidebeside theirtheir economicaleconomical importance.importance. Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 5 2.2. ImplementationImplementation andand strengtheningstrengthening ofof thethe culturalcultural performanceperformance andand potentialspotentials ofof AustrianAustrian‘‘ss forestryforestry 2.1.2.1. StartingStarting pointpoint 2.1.1.2.1.1. EuropeanEuropean commitmentscommitments 2.1.2.2.1.2. GlobalGlobal developmentdevelopment 2.1.3.2.1.3. DevelopmentDevelopment ofof Austrian'sAustrian's forestryforestry 2.2.2.2. GoalsGoals Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 6 2.1.2.1. StartingStarting pointpoint 2.1.1. European commitments: 4th Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe 28-30 April 2003 Vienna The “Vienna Living Forest Summit Declaration: European Forests – Common Benefits, Shared Responsibilities” emphasises that co-ordination and partnerships leading to shared responsibilities are crucial for the provision of common benefits from forests in the future. The representatives of the Signatory States and the European Community committed themselves to Benefiting rural livelihood and urban societies Building strong partnerships Tackling global challenges Putting MCPFE commitments into action Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 7 ResolutionResolution 3:3: PreservingPreserving andand EnhancingEnhancing thethe SocialSocial andand CulturalCultural DimensionsDimensions ofof SustainableSustainable ForestForest ManagementManagement inin EuropeEurope The role of social and cultural values of sustainable forest management has been increasingly perceived by the European society Social and cultural dimensions of sustainable forest management are an important asset to the education, recreation, environment, rural development and economy of society There is a demand of society to promote public access to historical and cultural important sites but also the wish to save the interest of forest owners. Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 8 AustrianAustrian ForestForest DialogDialog AnAn interdisciplinaryinterdisciplinary andand interinter -- sectoralsectoral dialogdialog betweenbetween allall forestforest –– relevantrelevant sectorssectors andand stakeholdersstakeholders ProvidesProvides thethe frameworkframework forfor concreteconcrete forestforest –– politicalpolitical strategiesstrategies BasisBasis forfor thethe „„AustrianAustrian NationalNational ForestForest ProgramProgram”” SocialSocial andand culturalcultural aspectsaspects ofof sustainablesustainable forestforest managementmanagement areare discusseddiscussed inin chapterchapter 33 (Environment(Environment andand Society)Society) ofof thisthis dialogdialog andand areare addressedaddressed atat allall levelslevels Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 9 SocialSocial andand culturalcultural aspectsaspects ofof sustainablesustainable forestforest managementmanagement Art: (Painting, Literature, Music, Sculptures ect. ) Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 10 SocialSocial andand culturalcultural aspectsaspects ofof sustainablesustainable forestforest managementmanagement •• LandscapeLandscape (Traditional(Traditional utilizationutilization practisespractises i.ei.e.. pollardingpollarding)) Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 11 SocialSocial andand culturalcultural aspectsaspects ofof sustainablesustainable forestforest managementmanagement WoodWood processingprocessing WoodenWooden architecturearchitecture Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 12 SocialSocial andand culturalcultural aspectsaspects ofof sustainablesustainable forestryforestry TraditionTradition Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 13 SocialSocial andand culturalcultural aspectsaspects ofof sustainablesustainable forestforest managementmanagement SightsSights andand monumentsmonuments Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 14 SocialSocial andand culturalcultural aspectsaspects ofof sustainablesustainable forestforest managementmanagement RecreationRecreation (health,(health, wellwell--beingbeing i.e.)i.e.) Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 15 2.1.2.2.1.2. GlobalGlobal developmentdevelopment InIn 19721972 thethe GeneralGeneral assemblyassembly ofof UNESCOUNESCO hashas agreedagreed thethe conventionconvention concerningconcerning thethe ProtectionProtection ofof thethe WorldWorld CulturalCultural andand NaturalNatural HeritageHeritage withwith thethe goalgoal toto protectprotect thethe witnesseswitnesses ofof pastpast andand presentpresent treasurestreasures ofof culturescultures andand naturalnatural landscapeslandscapes ofof excellentexcellent beautybeauty andand biodiversitybiodiversity andand toto maintainmaintain itit asas aa WorldWorld HeritageHeritage forfor thethe benefitbenefit ofof futurefuture generations.generations. TheThe addressedaddressed ““WorldWorld HeritageHeritage SitesSites”” areare divideddivided intointo threethree categories:categories: CulturalCultural Heritage,Heritage, NaturalNatural HeritageHeritage andand CulturalCultural Landscape.Landscape. Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 16 2.1.3.2.1.3. DevelopmentDevelopment ofof AustrianAustrian‘‘ss ForestryForestry The economic situation of the rural population is characterized by a remarkable loss of income (low price for agrarian products, high price for energy) farms become abandoned, farmers are migrating to the neighbouring agglomeration centres the still existing rural infrastructure is increasingly vanishing Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 17 The sustainable management of the mountain forests and the maintenance of the cultural landscape are increasingly endangered. This is also due to the fact, that 85% of the forest land is in private ownership; about 70% of it is small scale farming. The dogma – taught at forestry schools almost up to date times - that the profit margin earned by the selling of timber is sufficient enough to offer the multiple benefits of forests to everybody free of charge is not valid any more. Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage 18 2.22.2 GoalsGoals Forestry has to work towards an improved understanding and to establish partnerships within civil society in order to enhance public awareness and understanding of the multiple benefits of forests for society and its contribution to the overall well-being of society. By an increasing social appreciation of qualified benefit- based forest management forest enterprises might be able to achieve other sources of income beside timber. It is necessary to find sources of income resulting from services which are demanded by the society and offered by forestry. Seminar on Forestry and Our 13-15 June 2005 Cultural Heritage