Volume 1 - Forest Europe

54
Theme 1. HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL FOREST KNOWLEDGE AND FOREST MANAGEMENT
5. Conclusions
Each landscape is the expression of the underlying economic system, having left its footprints in the
countryside. Until the beginning of the 19 th century the knowledge about the best way how to carry
out afforestation activities was rather low. From 1820 onwards the infl uence of forest science was
noticeable in the fi elds of silviculture and – later on – growth and yield, when theoretical fi ndings
were implemented in forest management practices. There was a high demand for scientifi c-based
research at the time when forest science became a subject of teaching at the new established university
in Vienna (Johann 2002). At the beginning, the goal of timber production of high value, which
was aimed at, resulted in the decrease of biodiversity by the increase of monocultures with conifers
and the establishment of dense forests. However, at the end of the 19 th century the development
of the silvicultural theory of “close to nature forest management” also included social and cultural
traditional values apart from economic and ecological targets. Analysing the historical development
it turns out that forest management hardly ever occurred autonomously. Decisions regarding the
management derived rather from goals which were aimed at by the state, the legislator, industry
and society. Predominantly the timber market, but also “modern” trends in the fi eld of scientifi c
research infl uenced forest management systems. Moreover new driving forces apart from economy,
such as the recreation – and leisure time – society are increasingly important determinants.
6. References
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