Indicator forest and wood

• Database
• National forest inventory NFI

Pure coniferous forests are less prevalent compared to the 1980s. The proportion of deciduous forests and mixed deciduous forests has increased, primarily at the lower altitudes, where deciduous forests are better adapted to the conditions.

Sufficient tree species diversity is crucial for a climate-adapted forest, both from an ecological and economic perspective. Forests with high tree species diversity are, on the one hand, more resistant to the consequences of climate change, and on the other hand, in mixed forests, the economic risk of losses after disturbances such as windthrow or bark beetle infestation is distributed among different tree species. The desired development is accelerated by current events, with spruce retreating from lower and drier sites, giving way to site-appropriate, resilient mixed forests, either mixed with deciduous and coniferous species or pure deciduous forests with several deciduous tree species. This development should continue to be encouraged.

• Related indicators
• Vielfalt von Artengemeinschaften im Wald

The data on forest area and its development are provided by aerial images, the continuous sample survey carried out in forests and subsequent modelling. Network: 1.4 km network (in NFI5: 1.4 km network, sub-networks 1-5).

Definition of the degree of mixture: Proportions of conifers and deciduous trees participating in the stand structure, defined by their basal area share in four classes: Pure coniferous forest: 91-100% conifers, Mixed coniferous forest: 51-90% conifers, Mixed deciduous forest: 11-50% conifers, and Pure deciduous forest: 0-10% conifers.