The HFR project meeting took place in Palfau, Styria, Austria, located within the Nature Park Steirische Eisenwurzen. This park, connecting the Kalkalpen and Gesäuse National Parks, serves as one of the project regions and represents one of the defined Healthy Forest Regions (HFRs) within the project framework.
The meeting featured two workshop sessions. Workshop 1 focused on discussing the aims, content, and structure of the HFR Concept, identifying key actors required to operate an HFR, and exploring their motivations, potential benefits, and concerns. Participants also revisited and refined the definition of a “healthy forest.” Workshop 2 addressed the development of a General Forest Health Strategy for HFRs and established basic assumptions for HFR forest management.
In addition to the workshops, participants visited the Forestry Museum Silvanum in Großreifling and joined excursions to the Wasserloch-Klamm – World Heritage Wilderness Area Dürrenstein-Lassingtal and the Water Spring Protection Forest of Vienna in the forestry unit “Wildalpen.” These field visits provided valuable insights into forest management practices and conservation approaches relevant to the HFR concept.