On the trail of the forest – research with roots in Kufstein

When Nina Oberreiter talks about her forest, you can immediately sense how deeply connected she is to it. The 22-year-old grew up in Kufstein – surrounded by beech trees, spruce trees, and moss. “The forest has always been a place of retreat and a source of energy for me,” she says. But the older she got, the stronger her interest in ecological issues became – and in the question of what the future holds for these forests.

A research project with a local heart

This interest ultimately led her to write her bachelor's thesis in the Energy & Sustainability Management program (now: Energy & Sustainability Management) at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol. Under the title Environmental Management in Forestry, Oberreiter investigated whether natural regeneration processes toward a deciduous-dominated mixed forest can be observed in the Kufstein municipal forest – or whether targeted forestry measures are necessary to promote a climate-resilient forest structure.

The thesis was supervised by Asc. Prof. (FH) Dipl.-Ing. (Univ.) Christian Huber, who encouraged Oberreiter to channel her passion for biodiversity and sustainability into an independent research project.

She was also supported by MMag. Peter Holzknecht, head of the Environment and Sustainability Department of the City of Kufstein, as well as Kufstein foresters Richard Schmid and Philipp Weninger. “I had hardly any prior knowledge of natural sciences at the beginning,” says Oberreiter. “But I was able to learn an incredible amount – directly in the forest, from experts who care for and protect it every day.”

Research in rubber boots

For her work, she set up two study areas and spent several months mapping young trees, marking them with different colors and documenting their growth. She learned to identify tree species by their buds and bark, consulted with experts, and evaluated data on bark beetle monitoring.

“I learned more from the hours spent with the foresters in the forest than from any other source,” she recalls.

The results show that the forest is already rejuvenating – maple, fir, and beech in particular are gaining in importance, while spruce is increasingly being pushed back. Nevertheless, the natural process is not enough to compensate for climate change. “The forest's rotation period is around 120 years – too long to withstand the changes. That's why targeted reforestation and active wildlife management are needed,” Oberreiter summarizes.

A forest that protects our water

She was particularly moved by how much commitment and passion goes into the foresters' daily work – and how often this work is unfortunately not properly perceived or recognized by the public. “Many people only see that trees are being felled. But hardly anyone knows how important these interventions are for protecting the forest and our drinking water supply.”

This is because the Kufstein municipal forest is a spring protection forest. This means that it filters and stores the water that later flows from the city's pipes. “This forest is a real gem for Kufstein,” emphasizes Oberreiter.

Between science and raising awareness

After completing her work, Oberreiter remained committed to the topic: Together with the municipality, she is already working on new projects designed to raise awareness of the value of the forest among the population – especially among children. “You only protect what you know,” she says.

The link between research and practice also remains intact. Oberreiter wants to continue exploring how digital technologies, such as drones or app-based monitoring, can support forestry. “But the most important thing is still people who understand the forest – and treat it with respect.”

Sustainability with roots

With her bachelor's thesis, Nina Oberreiter not only provided scientific insights into the Kufstein municipal forest, but also built a bridge between the university, the city, and the population.

She shows that sustainability begins where roots, curiosity, and responsibility come together, and that great research sometimes starts very small: with a marker pen, a tree seedling, and a large dose of passion.

Links:

• Energy & Sustainability Management | ft