Governments Role in Wood Promotion by Ingwald Gschwandtl

Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion by Ingwald Gschwandtl Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Vienna/Austria Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Content • • • Why should a government promote wood? What can a government do to promote wood? Austria as a case – – – – forests and wood research and education representation, lobbying and communication business co-operations and networks legislation and standardisation SFM rural development political agreements and strategies • Conclusions Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Why should a government promote wood? • • limited resources renewability and long term supply economic, ecologic, social values of forests employment and income rural areas carbon storage sustainable development competition and substitution Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

What can a government do to promote wood? • • develop the economy protect the environment provide fair market conditions correct socially or environmentally undesired market results, respecting market conformity • areas for activities and interventions are numerous – legislation, research, education and training, institutional capacities, economic and sustainable development strategies, natural resource management policies e. a. • seek country specific solutions Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Austria as a Case Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Austria • • population 8 mio total area 8, 4 mio ha forests 3, 9 mio ha 47% 80% privately owned 170. 000 holdings, average size 15 ha growing stock 2 bio cbm 70% coniferous species increment 8, 7 cbm/ha/y Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria Enterprises Forestry Employees 170. 000 8. 000 Saw mills 1. 550 10. 000 Furniture 90 10. 500 Boards 10 3. 000 Paper and Pulp 30 9. 400 100 9. 000 Carpenters 6. 200 42. 000 Roof Construction 1. 500 9. 100 128 9. 800 Card boards Construction Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Austrian Wood Industries Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Austrian Wood Industries Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Research and Education – co-financed by public and private funds, complemented by commissioned projects – Wood Research Austria (Holzforschung Austria) • research projects, tests and experiments, representation in national and international standards committees, information and know-how transfer. • special research focus ‘Wood Construction’ • Centre of Competency in Wood Technology’ • ‘Holz. Cert Austria’ specialised in chain of custody certification Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Research and Education – Wood Technicum Kuchl (Holztechnikum Kuchl) • ‘Specialised School for Saw Millers’ • ‘Technical High School’ with education branches in ‘Wood Technology’, ‘Wood Design and Product Management’ and ‘Wood Construction’ – Universities • ‘University of Agricultural Sciences in Vienna (Universität für Bodenkultur Wien)’ has ‘Institute for Wood Technology’ and branch of study in wood management • ‘Technical Universities of Vienna and Graz (Technische Universität Wien, Technische Universität Graz)’, special programmes on wood construction for Structural Engineering Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Representation, Lobbying and Communication – establish or support institutions and mechanisms – legal or private basis – financial support minor, focus on know how transfer – representations of interest in forestry • Provincial Chambers of Agriculture (Landes-Landwirtschaftskammern) • Federal Association of Agricultural and Forestry Enterprises (Hauptverband der Land- und Forstwirtschaftsbetriebe Österreichs) • Farm Foresters Associations (Waldbauernverbände) • Austrian Forest Association (Österreichischer Forstverein) Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Representation, Lobbying and Communication – representations of interest in wood based industries • ‘Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (Bundeswirtschaftskammer)’ including ‘Austrian Wood Industries Association (Fachverband der Holzindustrie’ • ‘Association of Austrian Paper Industries (Austropapier – Vereinigung der österreichischen Papierindustrie)’ – co-operations of forestry and wood based industries • ‘pro. Holz Austria’ – co-operation between ‘Austrian Wood Industries Association’ and the ‘Standing Committee of the Presidents of the Austrian Chambers of Agriculture (Präsidentenkonferenz der Landwirtschaftskammern Österreichs)’ – marketing and communications organisation for wood, running campaigns regarding information, public relations and advertising within the sector and for a wider public, nationally and internationally Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Representation, Lobbying and Communication – co-operations of forestry and wood based industries • Co-operation Agreement Forest-Boards-Paper (Kooperationsabkommen Forst-Platte-Papier, FPP) – formed by Standing Committee of the Presidents of the Austrian Chambers of Agriculture, Chip- and Fibreboard branch of the Wood Industries Association, Association of Austrian Paper Industries (Austropapier) – platform – common approaches for the efficient use of forests and market continuity – public relations concerning sustainable forest management and sound use of wood Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Business co-operations and networks – wood clusters • • ‘Holzcluster Salzburg’ ‘Holzclaster Steiermark’ ‘Holzcluster Niederösterreich’ ‘Holzcluster Oberösterreich’ • • regional co-operation small and medium size enterprises increase competitiveness through creating synergies, sharing of know how, information and resources • some provincial governments have set up specific subsidies Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Legislation and Standardisation – direct or indirect influences • • building and fire prevention regulations waste management regulations water protection regulations transport regulations – international standards Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Sustainable Forest Management – balance economic, environmental and social dimensions – wide acceptance – long term supply with goods and services – – well established legal, institutional, financial framework continuously adapted to changing requirements international commitments (MCPFE, IPF, IFF, CBD) Austrian Forest Dialogue to develop forest programme through participatory, transparent, cross-sectoral approach – certification Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Rural Development – National Rural Development Programme based on (EC)1257/1999 regulation • • • better utilise potential of Austrian forests access roads forest owners co-operatives and networks innovation chain of production Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Forests and Wood in Austria • Political Agreements and Strategies – Austrian Strategy for Sustainable Development • adopted in April 2002 • prepared by working group of various governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders • calls inter alia for – promoting renewable materials and sources of energy – ecologically oriented taxreform – international level • Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe – in particular Resolutions L 1, Vienna 2 e. a. • UNFF, UN-CBD, UN-FCCC Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Conclusions • for economic, social and environmental reasons, governments have a role in wood promotion • legal, institutional, financial framework is needed – – • • SFM research, education, training, innovation legislation, taxes, subsidies industrial, rural and sustainable development policies international agreements and processes could help public investment needs a clear focus comprehensive approaches, long term orientation no universal concept – country specific approaches Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003

Thank you! Ingwald GSCHWANDTL Governments‘ Role in Wood Promotion Poiana Brasov/Romania, March 2003