Forestry experts call for climate adaptation strategies

Forestry management and wood utilization were central topics at the State Forest Farmers' Day held at the wood fair in Klagenfurt. In Carinthia, Austria, forests generate a direct or indirect gross value added of 2.9 billion euros, with every twelfth euro earned in the region coming from the wood industry.

Forestry experts and farmers are calling for long-term strategies to adapt to climate change. Challenges include the unpredictability of tree species survival, the impact of invasive pests from international trade, and ash dieback. While spruce remains a primary commercial species, experts suggest that the forests of the future, particularly in lower and middle altitudes, must transition toward mixed forest compositions to ensure stability and economic value.