Vol. 51 (1), 2009: 33-38

FOLIA FORESTALIA POLONICA
Series A - Forestry, 2009, Vol. 51(1), 33–38.

Forests and rural development in the light of global change
 –  a perspective of mountain forests

Robert Jandl¹, Dieter Stöhr^2
1 Research and Training Centre for Forest, Natural Hazards and Landscape (BFW), Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 8, A-1131 Vienna, Austria, tel.: + 43-1-878 38, fax: + 43-1-878 38/1250,
e-mail: direktion@bfw.gv.at., Corresponding author.
² Tyrolean Forest Administration, Innsbruck, Austria.

Abstract
Mountain forests are facing substantial changes. The need to adapt forest management to climate change is overlaid by the consequences of demographic changes that alter the form of land use profoundly. The European policy is aware of the challenges and supports mountain regions by the Regulation for Rural Developments and other strategies. Regional efforts of the Forest Authorities account for the changing ownership structure in order to ensure sustainable forest management and the provision of the dependent ecosystem services.

Key words
forestry, mountain region, ecosystem services