BFW (Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape) – Legal bases

To ensure multifunctional forestry in rural areas, the preservation of the natural bases of life and the protection against natural hazards, an institute under public law named "Bundesforschungs- und Ausbildungszentrum für Wald, Naturgefahren und Landschaft“ (Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape), abbr. BFW, was established. 

The Research Centre is responsible for research in the fields of forestry, natural hazards and landscape as well as for the relevant surveying, experimentation, auditing and control tasks and the associated services. It also has to perform educational and further-education tasks in the public interest. The BFW is non-profit-oriented.

The Research Centre is the universal legal successor of the Federal Government in respect of the Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape.

The Federal Forest Office (Bundesamt für Wald) is responsible for the implementation of the Federal Forest Reproductive Materials Act and of parts of the Federal Plant Protection Act of 2011.

The head office of the Research Centre and the Federal Forest Office is located in Vienna.

The BFW Act covers in particular:

• the duties of the Research Centre; 
• the principles in the performance of tasks;
• the remuneration for the services performed; 
• the management of the Research Centre and the Federal Office;
• the establishment of the Economic Affairs Council (Board) and its Tasks;
• government supervision.