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WF-Project DECIDE - Decision analysis and scenarios

Funded by: Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism, Stubenring 1, 1010 Wien, Austria

Abstract: The DECIDE project aims to develop a decision support tool and to apply it in case studies in order to support the implementation of sustainable, adaptive forest management strategies for the preservation and creation of climate-smart forests. An essential element is the modelling and prognosis of susceptibilities of Austrian forests to damages by storm, fires, bark beetles, browsing or bark peeling with a special consideration of climate-resilient tree species. The tool should support the decision-makers to evaluate the different forest management strategies. The analysis of decision-making situations and the development of possible scenarios are the main tasks of this sub-project. Possible options for the development and application of the decision support tool, which takes into account the possible vulnerabilities and possible options for the forest planning, are to be discussed and conceptualised in workshops. By holding the stakeholder workshops, the framework conditions of different forest decision situations shall be analysed and the data basis, methods and models for the implementation in the decision tool shall be identified. Different scenarios are to be developed and their effects are to be estimated. The tool will be developed on the basis of the model regions of Styria and Lower Austria, which will provide the basis for an Austria-wide application.

Keywords: Forest protection; Forestry; Silviculture;; adaptive forest management; Decision analysis; Decision Support; decision support tool; prevention strategies;