Economic Accounts for Forestry

The output value of the forestry industry as a whole, which besides the output of forestry goods (coniferous timber for industrial uses, non-coniferous timber for industrial uses, firewood, other products) also comprises the non-timber sector (forestry services and inseparable secondary activities), reached the total of about €1.5 bn (+17.4% compared to 2009), of which the forestry goods output accounted for about 81.4% and the non-timber sector for about 18.6%. The main item, with a share of about 60.0% of the total output value, was coniferous timber for industrial uses, which consists of both sawable stem wood and undressed timber for the pulp, paper and board industry. A remarkable high share was also recorded for firewood (16.7%), while non-coniferous timber for industrial uses only represented 2.5% of overall output value. Forestry services accounted for 14.8% and inseparable secondary activities for 3.8% of the output value of forestry industry in 2010.

Production costs were also higher than in 2009. The value of intermediate consumption amounted to about €0.5 bn (+6.4%) and fixed capital consumption about €0.2 bn (+7.4%).

Due to the significant increase of the output value forestry value added and income showed considerable increases compared to 2009. Gross value added at basic prices (calculated from the output of the forestry industry minus intermediate consumption) rose by 23.0%. The increase in net value added at basic prices, i.e. after deduction of fixed capital consumption, was 27.3% and in factor income 28.3%. Nevertheless, the above-average high values of the years 2007 and 2008 were not reached.

Methodology

The Economic Accounts for Forestry (EAF) represent a satellite account to the System of Integrated Economic Accounts providing additional information and concepts adapted to the particular nature of the forestry industry. Their main purpose is to analyse the production process in forestry and the primary income generated therein. The EAF were set up in Austria in 2001, according to the requirements of Eurostat Handbook for Economic Accounts for Agriculture and Forestry EEA/EAF 97 (Rev.1.1).

The results of the Economic Accounts for Forestry presented here are based on the database available as from the beginning of July 2011. Since for several basic data the latest information is not available the results for 2010 are still provisional. Final data for 2010 will be published in July 2012. As the latest available data is being continually incorporated into the calculation system, already completed reporting years are still subject to revision.

For the first time, the EAF data are based on the revised statistical classification of economic activities of the European Union NACE Rev. 2. Time series according to the new NACE-classification are currently available for the reference period 1995-2010.

Regional Accounts for Forestry (Regional EAF) at NUTS 2 level - Results for the Länder (federal provinces)

In 2010, 28% of Austria’s output value of the forestry industry of about €1.5 bn was generated in Styria and about 19% in Lower Austria. Upper Austria contributed about 16%, Carinthia about 15%, Tyrol about 9% and Salzburg about 7% of the total output value of domestic forestry. The share of Burgenland was about 4% and the contribution of Vorarlberg about 2%.

Compared to 2009 all federal provinces recorded increases in the output value of the forestry industry, however with a remarkable scatter of growth rates. The highest increases were observed in Tyrol (+34.0%), Carinthia (+29.3%), Vorarlberg (+28.1%) and Styria (+20.0%). The lowest rate of change was registered in Burgenland (+5.0%). The total output value of the forestry industry in Austria rose by 17.4% (2009: -22.9%). The key factors for the development of forestry output in 2010 were an increase in wood felling combined with a lower quantity of damaged wood and higher timber prices.

Gross value added - apart from Vienna (-5.5%) - also went up in all federal provinces in 2010. The largest increases were observed in Tyrol (+49.2%), Carinthia (+35.3%) and Vorarlberg (+30.5%). On average gross value added of the forestry industry rose by 23.0% compared to the previous year.

Methodology

In addition to the Economic Accounts for Forestry (EAF) for Austria, the Regional Accounts for Forestry provide indicators of the economic situation in forestry at the level of the Länder (federal provinces). They highlight disparities between the federal provinces, and provide data on the contribution made by the individual federal provinces to the total output value and value added of domestic forestry.

Data of the Regional Accounts for Forestry for a reference year (n) are published in October of the year n+1. For 2010 the current data for the federal provinces are provisional. They are consistent with the EAF revision status as at July 2011. For the first time the calculations are based on the revised classification of economic activities NACE Rev. 2. Time series according to the new NACE-classification are available for the reference period 1995-2010.

Further methodological remarks

The results of EAF are also used for the National Accounts; therefore, “bridge tables” have to be drawn up, taking into account the methodological deviations between the EAF and the National Accounts. The main difference between EAF and National Accounts is that in National Accounts the increment of wood has to be valued as part of forestry output.

Up until 2005, the results of the EAF (nationwide data) were transmitted to the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) as part of a gentlemen’s agreement. Since 2008 data are delivered in the form of table 3c of the Forest Timber Accounts (IEEAF = Integrated Economic and Environmental Accounting for Forestry); this table is similar in structure to EAF. Concerning the treatment of increment of wood, however, the methods of National Accounts have to be applied.