Due to the exceptionally dry and mild winter, bark beetle infestation in Austrian forests has started particularly early this year. This is going to result in a high economic damage for forest owners. “The situation is absolutely dramatic,” said Josef Moosbrugger, head of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture (LWK), to the press agency APA. Bark beetles were seen in Austrian forests already in January. In order to limit the further spread of the parasite, the beetle-infested wood needs to be removed from forests as soon as possible.
The price of damaged wood does not cover harvesting and reforestation costs. For this reason, the Chamber of Agriculture asks the government for € 1 billion in aid for the next three years in order to support forest owners. According to Moosbrugger, the Austrian paper and sawmill industry have responsibility as well. If companies prefer to import wood from abroad, bark beetle-damaged wood is going to remain in Austrian forests.
In collaboration with the forestry sector and leading companies of the timber industry, the Austrian Biomass Association presented a package of immediate measures on 3 April which could be implemented in only a few months. According to the Biomass Association, more than 25,000 jobs can be saved with this package. Also, renewable energy generation can be raised by 8 percentage points, carbon emissions can be reduced by 3 million tons, 3 to 4 million m³ of unused damaged wood can be brought to temporary storage places and processed, and € 4.5 billion worth of investments can be done.
Specifically, the following measures are proposed:
- immediate prolongation of the Basic Act on Biomass in order to preserve existing plants
- preference for the expansion of electricity generation in wood cogeneration plants as part of the Green Electricity Act to 3 TWH by 2025 as well as a reduction of the waiting list for new projects still in 2021
- quick implementation of the measure “Away from oil” on the thermal energy market
- increase in subsidies for biomass for the generation of 250 MW in district and short-distance heating plants and of 100 MW in process heat applications by 2025
- immediate planning and construction of various big storages (more than 2 million m³) for lower quality damaged wood by the end of 2021 in order to absorb and utilize damaged wood
- construction of living laboratories to feed in wood gas
- construction of large plants for the supply of agricultural and silvicultural machine parks with progressive biofuels.
The jointly supported package is a first step towards a close collaboration of forestry, timber industry and the bioenergy sector as part of the strategy “Forst Holz Energie” (Forest Wood Energy), the aims of which are energy revolution and a fast exit from fossil energy dependency.
