Wildlife damage affects 2,204 hectares of Vorarlberg forest

Wildlife damage affected 2,204 hectares of forest in Vorarlberg in 2025, with fir, sycamore and other mixed-tree species struggling to regenerate, ORF reports. The Austrian province was among the country’s most severely affected by widespread damage.

Vorarlberg accounted for 47 of Austria’s 134 valid wildlife-damage assessments in 2025. Browsing was the main cause, particularly in the protection forests of the Bludenz and Feldkirch districts, where red deer, roe deer and chamois are damaging natural regeneration.

According to district reports, fir and sycamore, as well as beech and rowan, are being selectively browsed and are disappearing across large areas in some regions.

Problem areas in Bludenz and Feldkirch

In Bludenz, affected areas extend from the Klostertal valley through the Walgau and Großes Walsertal to the Montafon valley. Windthrow and bark beetle infestations have also created large open areas that need to be reforested.

In Feldkirch, problem areas cover about one-third of the district’s forests. The Laternsertal and Saminatal valleys, along with parts of the Frödischtal valley, are particularly affected. The report identifies more than 500 hectares in the Saminatal as suffering from wildlife damage that threatens the forest.

There are also regional hotspots in Dornbirn and Bregenz. In the upper Mellental valley, natural regeneration of fir, sycamore and valuable broadleaf trees is currently not possible, the report says. In the Bregenzerwald region, including Au, chamois are identified as a problem for protection forests.

Authorities cite hunting measures

The report lists no interventions by Vorarlberg’s hunting authorities. The last intervention over bark-stripping damage took place in 2019, while the last one over browsing was in 2017. The provincial forestry service also did not use its right to submit an application in proceedings under forestry law.

The Vorarlberg government rejects the impression that no action is being taken. It says measures are implemented continuously, particularly through cull planning, as well as shooting orders, extended hunting periods, requirements for Kahlwild culls, the ending of feeding operations and game-free zones.

These measures do not appear in the report because it counts only decisions issued under the Forestry Act, the government said. It also said the forestry service’s unused right to submit applications was not evidence of inaction, describing it as an additional tool that could be used when needed. The service continues to contribute to assessments and hunting planning, and no new affected areas have been added since 2023.