With three horsepower towards a climate-friendly forest At Gesäuse National Park
Stand maintenance, promotion of mixed tree species, mitigation of danger trees along forest roads and paths and bark beetle control are forestry measures that are permitted in the management zone of the National Park and are carried out by the Steiermärkische Landesforsten. Particular attention is paid to the mixed tree species fir, sycamore maple, pine and beech, as they are seen as the bearers of hope for stability and vitality in an ecosystem that is to be slowly introduced to climate warming.
"Currently, our capable contractor Branko is working with his three strong Ardennes stallions in the management zone of the national park in the felling of spruce logs," reports forestry director Andreas Holzinger. This form of delivering whole trunks proves particularly effective on moist, fresh lower slope sites where soil wounding is to be avoided. This requires a coherent work chain and careful planning: The logs felled, top cut and delimbed by forestry workers are already lying in an optimal direction for the horses. Double lengths of 8 or 12 metres are quite feasible for the animals and thus a good daily output can also be expected. "However, the actual value, i.e. the harvesting that is gentle on the soil and the stand, is difficult to measure in euros. What counts is that there is no engine noise from heavy harvesters or tractors, no wide tracks or aisles for the machines, no deep ruts with root damage to standing trees," Holzinger is pleased to say.
Horse logging thus represents an ecological and environmentally friendly alternative in the forest - perhaps also a future model for quieter, decelerated forest work! True to the motto of the National Park "Time for Nature".
Enquiry notice:
Forestry Director Andreas Holzinger, Tel: 0664/53 64 135, holzinger@landesforste.at
General press enquiries:
Isabella Mitterböck, Tel. 0664/34 65 629, i.mitterboeck@nationalpark-gesaeuse.at;