A timber truck fully loaded with logs drives over a very simple wooden bridge in a forest.

Institute of

WF Forestry

Ongoing Projects · Forestry in Germany

Carbon Leak

In the Carbon Leak project, we are analyzing the effects of German and European climate protection measures on global agricultural and timber markets and of the potential leakage effects on emissions. The increased requirements for the emission balance of the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) and agriculture sectors adopted in the German Climate Protection Act and related EU legislation may lead to a significant reduction in timber harvesting as well as agricultural production in Germany and Europe. Such changes suggest significant market effects, such as decreasing production ...

Economic Accounts

Forest industry as part of the entire economy is linked to manifold economic activities in a country. It uses goods for intermediate consumption, invests in fixed capital, contributes to overall supply with wood and non-wood-goods and creates income which is distributed to the economic units bearing the production. Moreover forest enterprises own assets in terms of standing timber, equipment and buildings.

FESIM-Project

Due to the long life cycles of forest stands, the effects of silvicultural decisions, political and legal guidelines, and the influence of climate change on forestry can often only be observed and evaluated with a considerable time delay. The Forest Economic Simulation Model (FESIM) provides us with a model for simulating the long-term effects of changes in land use on forestry. Within the framework of the project and considering current scientific and forest policy issues, we want to further develop the model.

FGR Update (Economic Accounts for Forestry)

Since 1991, the Thünen-Institute of Forestry annually compiles the Economic Accounts for Forestry (FGR) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The FGR provides an overview of the origin of goods and income in the economic sector of forestry in Germany and is an important basis for further national and international reporting, such as for the National Accounts (VGR) and the European Forest Accounts (EFA).

Further development of the German Forest Accountancy Network

The number of farms providing their accounting results for FAN is declining. Therefore, the joint project is looking for approaches to counteract this trend and to further develop the FAN.

German national report tables within the European Forest Accounts

Since 2006 we compile the national report tables on behalf of the German Federal Statistical Office. The accounting framework (European Forest Accounts (EFA)) is developed by Eurostat, the European Statistical Office. Our tables are also published within the German Environmental and Economic Accounting and are used as a data source for the German National Accounts.

Incentive effects, acceptance and climate effectiveness of different remuneration options for climate protection in forestry (AnAKHon)

Climate change poses enormous challenges for forest management. According to the Climate Protection Act, the contribution of German forests to emission reductions in the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector is expected to increase significantly. Similarly, forests need to be adapted to climate change to ensure their long-term ability to mitigate climate change and provide other ecosystem services. The German Bundestag has therefore mandated the federal government to establish a permanent system to reward forest ecosystem services. The AnAKHon project aims to provide a basis ...

TBN-Forest of BMEL (Forest Accountancy Data Network)

How has the economic situation of German forest enterprises changed? Which economic consequences could be expected due to policy changes? In order to answer these and other questions we analyse the Forest Accountancy Data Network (TBN-Forest) of the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The results are also used as input data for other reporting systems.

Completed Projects · Forestry in Germany

Analysis of the forest accountancy data network

The forest accountancy data network of the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture is the central data source at the federal level for assessing the economic situation of forest enterprises and for answering related policy questions. This "data treasure" will be further examined in order to gain additional insights into forest management in Germany.

CC-LandStraD: Simulation of forest management decisions

Climate Change - Land Use Strategies Germany; Sub project: Modelling of different forest land use strategies under changing environmental conditions

Climate protection services of forestry

Werden bei veränderten klimatischen, eigentümerspezifischen, wirtschaftlichen und institutionellen Rahmenbedingungen die Handlungsentscheidungen eines ökonomisch-rationalen Waldeigentümers für den Klimaschutz vorteilhaft sein?

IEEAF-Update

Updating the existing description of methods to complete the German report tables within the European Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting for Forests (IEEAF) and composition of a handbook comprising the documentation of data sources and calculation methods

Institutional economic analysis - (small-scale) private forest

The research project aims to analyze the institutional economic framework for the management of small-scale private forests and wants to make recommendations for its further development.

KKEG: Climate protection in small private forests – for owners and society

Society makes diverse demands on the German forests: Traditionally she wants to use timber, but recently also the protection of climate and biodiversity is a focus. To fulfil these demands, the small private forest has a great importance: Nearly half of the forest area of Germany is private-owned and half of this area again is smaller than 20 hectares. That makes 25 % of the total area of forests. Nowadays, the forest owners are characterized by a high plurality of circumstances and goals for their forest management. The traditional rural management with a focus on timber production has ...

Remote sensing based National Forest Damage Monitoring System

Drought, storms, forest fires and insect pests have caused increasing damage to forests in Germany in recent years. For crisis management, reliable information on the extent, distribution and development of damage is required.

Strains in forest enterprises due to protective and recreational functions of forests

By the German forestry numerous conservation and recreation services in the forest are provided. Strains for the forest enterprises arise from the German law (“freies Waldbetretungsrecht” for recreation use) or out of actions for biodiversity protection.

Strengthening bioenergy-regions (BEST); SÖB 2: Regional analysis of value added

Different users compete for the utilization of forest areas and timber: economic, climate, energy as well as environmental policy objectives must be implemented in forests. We investigate the economic effects of different kinds of forest utilization on a regional level.

ValoFor/ForestValue

About 60% of the European forest area is managed by small forest owners (<100ha). These forests provide a large share of wood based raw materials for a growing bioeconomy. Moreover, small forest owners contribute to manifold ecosystem services.

WaVerNa - Nature conservation contracts in forests

Actually nature conservation in forests is implemented by either nature reserves, or voluntary self-commitment. Due to problems of acceptance and efficiency one could ask if nature conservation in forests would be reached more effectively by reimbursement of voluntary agreements.

WEHAM-Scenarios

How to use the forest area in Germany? How much space should be protected and how much wood should be produced? How do we prepare forests for climate change? We need decision support to solve problems of conflicting forest utilization.

WEHAM-Scenarios - Work Package 1: Stakeholder participation process

How do we want to use our forests in the future? How are we going to manage them? For this there are many different opinions in German society. We think it important to incorporate these opinions in our forest management scenarios.

WEHAM-Scenarios - Work Package 4: Sustainability assessment

How will the implementation of the various requirements of German society affect the future forest cultivation and timber use? How sustainable are the forest management scenarios developed together with the stakeholders in Work package 1 and 2? These questions were examined in Work package 4: “Sustainability assessment” of the joint research project WEHAM-Scenarios.

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