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Show Prologue In 1880 the first railways were being constructed into the higher reaches of the poorly accessible Austrian Alps. On December 14th of that year, Professor Arthur Freiherr von Seckendorff, Director of Forest Research, addressed a meeting of the Austrian Railway Official's Club in Vienna-. Von Seckendorff dwelt at some length on the effects of the railroad construction on the alpine forests. The railways themselves consumed large amounts of timber for cross ties, and opened a market access which would accelerate logging of forests hitherto protected by their own isolation. He warned of the destructive effects of uncontrolled alpine logging: avalanches, flash floods and erosion. He went on to describe these effects in detail, the means for their prevention, and the methods of reducing damage already done. He emphasized the following: 1. While the basic control measure to hinder erosion from torrents or flash floods ( Wildbacher) is to inhibit material transport by flowing water, the ultimate goal to achieve this must be re- establishment of the high-level forests. These forests could be re- established only in stages, beginning with plants to build up the soil which would be followed later by trees. 2. Each local climate and slope exposure would require its own correct species of shrubs and trees. Recognition and selection of these correct species is essential to reforestation. 3. It is absolutely necessary to eliminate grazing animals ( cows, sheep, goats) from the reforestation areas. 4. Snow avalanches must be prevented by reforestation and by defense constructior in the release zones. 5. These conservation measures have to be supervised by the government. |
