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Nikolaus Berlakovich, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry,
Environment and Water Management, Austria
It is widely recognized that the value of forests for life in general, and the potential benefits and solutions
they bring to our increasingly challenged world, are enormous. However, the demands directed towards the
world’s forests are numerous, expanding and partially conflicting with each other.
Forests should sustain livelihoods, host biodiversity, help stabilize the climate, provide sustainable materials
and renewable energy, contribute to greening the economy, protect soils and water, and prevent floods,
erosion and avalanches. At the same time forests are not only under threat from deforestation and forest
degradation, but also from storms, drought, fire, pests and disease – hazards aggravated by climate change.
Fragmented approaches and singular actions must fail when addressing the complexity of these expectations
and challenges. We do have the solution at hand for securing the long-term economic, environmental and
social functions of forests comprehensively and in a balanced manner – the concept, principles and practice
of sustainable forest management.
Let us enhance our efforts, let us strengthen our commitments and establish robust political frameworks at
all levels in order to put sustainable forest management into practice worldwide.
Nikolaus Berlakovich
Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry,
Environment and Water Management, Austria