_Zur Forstgeschichte Oesterreichs_, by BINDER VON KREIGELSTEIN, in
Verhandlungen der K. K. Landwirthschaftsgesellschaft, 1836.
_Geschichte der Oesterreichischen Land- und Forstwirtschaft und
ihrer Industrieen_, 1848-1898. 5 vols., 1902, parts referring to
forestry, vols. 4 and 5, by Dr. von Guttenberg and 15 others; a
unique and most comprehensive work, magnificently published as a
jubilee of the semi-centennial of the coronation of Emperor Franz
Joseph.
_Die Forste der Staats- und Fondsgüter_, by KARL SCHINDLER, 1885 and
1889, 2 vols., pp. 487 and 742, contains in greatest detail with
historical data a description of the State and Funds forests and
their management.
_Jahrbuch der Staats- und Fondsgüter-verwaltung_, 9 vols., by L.
DIMITZ, 1897-1904 cont.
_Urkundensammlung zur Geschichte der ungarischen Forstwirthschaft_
by ALBERT V. BEDÖ, 1896, in Magyar.
_Die Wirthschaftlichen und Kommerziellen Beschreibungen der Wälder
des Ungarischen Staates_, _by_ A. v. BEDÖ, 2d edition, 1896, 4
vols., 2242 pp., 4^o, published as a jubilee of the ten-centennial
existence of Hungary. First volume contains the general description,
third volume the details of government forests. A magnificent work
describing in detail the forests and forest management of Hungary.
This is briefed by the same author in a chapter in “_The Millennium
of Hungary and its People_, by JEKELFALUSSY, 1897.”
Germany’s neighbor to the south-east, and until 1866 a member of the
German Empire or Federation, largely settled by Germans and hence swayed
by German thought, developed forestry methods on much the same lines as
the mother country. Yet there are differences to be found, due to
difference in economic development, and there is for the United States
perhaps more to be learned from Austria in the matter of introducing
forestry methods, especially as lately practiced in Bosnia-Herzegovina,
than from any other country, for economic conditions are in several
respects alike.
The interest in the forest history of Austria lies especially in the
fact that private forest property in large holdings is predominant, and
that large areas are still untouched or just opened to exploitation, so
that Austria is still in the list of export countries, although in some
parts intensive management has been long in existence.
In the main, although movements for reform in forest use date back to
the middle ages, the condition of forestry in Austria was past the
middle of the 19th century still most deplorable, and in a stage of
development which most of the German States had passed long before; but
in the last 50 years such progress has been made that both science and
practice stand nearly if not quite on the same level with those of their
German neighbors.
If Germany exhibits in its different parts a great variety of
development, political and economic, Austria, although long under one
family of rulers (since 1526), exhibits a still greater variety due to
racial, natural, and historical differences within its own borders. It
is, indeed, an extraordinary and singular country, without an equal of
its kind (except perhaps Turkey) in that it is not a national, but a
dynastic power, composed of unrelated states or lands, with people
speaking different languages, mixed races widely different in character.
These were gradually aggregated under one head or ruling family, the
Hapsburgs, who as Archdukes of Austria occupied the elective position of
German Emperors for several generations, and after the collapse of the
Empire, in 1806, retained the title and called themselves Emperors of
Austria.
The Kingdom of Hungary alone (which was joined to the Hapsburg dominions
by election of its people in 1526, and under new relations in 1867),
with at least 50% Hungarians, is a national unit with a national
language (Magyar), while all other parts have in their composition
preponderatingly Slavish population, although German elements have the
ascendancy more or less everywhere.
Not less than 10 different languages are spoken among the forty odd
million people, of whom the Germans comprise about one-quarter, the
Hungarians one-third, the balance being Slavs.
Originally, this section of the country was occupied by Germans with the
German institution of the Mark, but, when the Slavish and Magyar tribes
pressed in from the East, it became the meeting ground of the three
races, and during the first 1,000 years after Christ the “East Mark”
formed the bulwark of the German empire against the eastern invaders,
who, were, in succession, the Slavs, the Huns, the Turks.
With the unexpected election of Rudolph of Hapsburg, a little known
prince of small possessions, to the dignity of German Emperor, in 1272,
the foundation of the Austrian Empire was laid. The Archduchy of Austria
he secured by conquest in 1282, and around this nucleus all the other
territories were from time to time, aggregated by the Hapsburgs through
marriage, conquest, or treaty. At one time their rule extended over
Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia.
The abdication of Francis II, in the year 1806, prepared the separation
from Germany, although Austrian influence persisted in Germany until
1866 when, by the crushing defeat suffered at the hands of Prussia, its
place and voice was permanently excluded from German councils. By
arrangement with Hungary, the new dual empire of Austria-Hungary came
into existence, and gave a new national life and new policies to the
coalition which is to amalgamate these south-eastern territories into a
homogeneous nation.
By the treaty of Berlin in 1878, this territory of 241,942 square miles
with over 45 million people was further increased by the addition of the
Turkish provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina with 1,250,000 inhabitants
and 23,262 square miles, first merely placed under Austria’s suzerainty
and administration, in 1908 incorporated as an integral part.
* * * * *
It is natural that, corresponding to this great diversity of
ethnological elements and historical development, we should find a great
variety of forest conditions and uneven development of forestry. While
in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia the most intensive management has long
been practiced, in the Carpathians of Galicia and in Hungary rough
exploitation is still the rule, and in other parts large untouched
forest areas still await development.
* * * * *
We can distinguish at least seven regions thus differently developed:
the Northwest with Bohemia, Moravia and the remaining part of Silesia,
settled the longest, and the longest under forest management; the
Northeast, Galicia with the Carpathian Mountains, still largely either
exploited or untouched; the Danube lands or Austria proper, with the
Vienna forest and the forests connected with the saltworks in Upper
Austria and Styria, under some management since the 12th and 16th
centuries respectively; the Alp territory, including Tyrol and Salzburg,
parts of Styria, Karinthia and Krain, much devastated long ago, and
offering all the problems of the reboisement work of France; the Coast
lands along the Adriatic with Dalmatia, Istria and Trieste, which, from
ancient times under Venetian rule, bring with them the inheritance of a
mismanaged limestone country, creating the problems of the “Karst”
reforestation which has baffled the economist and forester until the
present time; the two new provinces east of this region, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, whose rich forest areas have only lately begun to be
treated under modern conservative ideas; and finally Hungary with a
great variety of conditions in itself.
The large forest per cent. (a little over 24,000,000 acres or over 32%
of the land area) is due to the mountainous character of the country,
the Alps occupying a large area on the west and southwest, the
Carpathians stretching for 600 miles on the northeast, various mountain
ranges encircling Bohemia, the Sudetes forming part of the northern
frontier, and the Wiener Wald and other lower ranges being distributed
over the empire and bounding the fertile valleys of the Danube and its
tributaries. At least 20 per cent. is unproductive.
The climate in the northern portion of Austria is similar to that of
southern Germany; in the southern portions to that of Italy, while
Hungary partakes of the characteristics of a continental plains climate
with low rainfall and extreme temperature ranges.
In addition to the tree species found in Germany there are of economic
value four species of pine (_Pinus austriaca_, _cembra_, _pinea_,
_halepensis_), two oaks (_Quercus ilex_ and _suber_), and the chestnut
(_Castanea vesca_). Conifer forest is prevailing in Austria (with 82%),
deciduous forest in Hungary, mostly beech and oak (with 75%); 27% being
oak in pure stands.
The following pages refer to Austria proper, Hungarian conditions being
treated separately further on.
The value of the total raw product exported from the Austrian forests
(some 180 million cubic feet) may be estimated at over 50 million
dollars annually.