Austrian Federal Forests

What Austrian Federal Forests does

Österreichische Bundesforste AG (ÖBf, Austrian Federal Forests) is the 100% state-owned stock corporation established in 1925 and reorganized under the Bundesforstegesetz 1996 that manages approximately 850,000 hectares — roughly 10% of Austria's national territory — on behalf of the Republic of Austria. Its operations span sustainable forestry across 510,000 hectares of forest (15% of Austrian woodland), management of approximately 74 lakes representing 70% of Austria's lake surface, renewable energy generation exceeding 300 million kWh/year from hydroelectric, wind (Windpark Pretul), and a biomass joint venture with Wien Energie, plus real estate management of approximately 4,150 buildings (roughly 90 heritage-protected), hunting and fishing license administration across about 550 fishing districts and 2,000 km of flowing waters, and Naturraummanagement services including protected-area, biodiversity, and ecological-compensation projects. The company is legally and constitutionally mandated to balance ecological, economic, and societal interests and pays 50% of net profit to the Republic as usefruct compensation.

The business is structured around six revenue streams: wood harvesting and timber auctioned primarily to the sawmill industry (~50%), industrial buyers (~30%), and biomass energy producers (~10%) via holzauktionen.at; real estate rental, leasing and hereditary building rights (Baurechte) on federal land; hunting and fishing license fees; renewable energy (9 hydroelectric plants plus Windpark Pretul plus the Wien Energie biomass co-plant); lake and waterfront contracts (~8,000 lease arrangements with municipalities, individuals, and commercial operators); and professional services (forestry consulting, technical planning, construction, tree inspection/cadastre, road construction, ecological compensation, ecosystem sponsoring). Distribution is decentralized through 14+ regional forest operations (Forstbetriebe and Nationalparkbetriebe) covering Wienerwald, Waldviertel-Voralpen, Steiermark, Steyrtal, Traun-Innviertel, Inneres Salzkammergut, Kärnten-Lungau, Flachgau-Tennengau, Pongau, Pinzgau, Unterinntal, Oberinntal, plus Donau-Auen and Kalkalpen national park operations; centralized commercial channels include EDIREAL for real estate, bundesforste-fischerei.at for fishing licenses, Vemap for public tenders, and a dedicated eRecruiter-powered career portal. Technical infrastructure rests on a long-running GPS-based sample forest inventory (Stichprobeninventur), maintenance of roughly 27,000 km of external boundary markers, and most recently the Horizon Europe BioDiMoBot autonomous underwater robotics project (5-year, kickoff Feb 2025) for freshwater biomonitoring at Millstätter See.

ÖBf's customer base is institutionally anchored in the Republic of Austria as mandate provider, with commercial counterparties spanning sawmill and industrial timber buyers, Wien Energie / Fernwärme Wien as renewable-energy JV partner, ~8,000 distributed lake-contract holders (municipalities, tourism operators, divers, shippers, private individuals), hunting and fishing licensees across hundreds of districts, real estate tenants and Baurecht grantees, and selected enterprise partners including Salzburg AG and Energy AG Oberösterreich in wind energy. Headcount is reported in the 501–1,000 range; revenue is not publicly disclosed. Recent commercial activity includes joining the global SITCA timber-construction alliance (effective 2026-07-01), ongoing wind-site evaluations in Salzburg and Upper Austria, and continued build-out toward a stated 500M kWh/year renewable energy target by 2030.

Name

Austrian Federal Forests

Legal name

Österreichische Bundesforste AG

Website

https://bundesforste.at

Company type

Public

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Österreichische Bundesforste AG is a 100% Austrian state-owned stock corporation (founded 1925, reorganized 1997) that sustainably manages 850,000 hectares of federal territory on behalf of the Republic, including 510,000 ha of forest, 74 lakes, 4,150 buildings, and renewable energy assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forestry and Natural Resource Management

NAICS

Timber Tract Operations (11311), Fishing, Hunting and Trapping (114), Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115)

SIC

Forestry (800), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Timber Tract Operations & Forest Ownership (Timberland) (IMAMAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Timberland Asset Management & Consulting (AFAMAAAI), Timberland Asset Management (Institutional/Private) (AFAMAKAA), Timberland Leasing & Contract Administration (Hunting, Grazing, Recreation) (AFAMAKAD), Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Tree Care & Arborist Services (BPABADAD)

Keywords

• Forest management services
• Timber harvesting sales
• Hunting fishing licenses
• Renewable energy generation
• Natural area management

Headquarters

HQ city

Purkersdorf

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Wood harvesting and timber sales: Core business. Sustainable harvesting of timber from 510,000 ha of forest. Timber sold via online auctions (holzauktionen.at). Majority goes to sawmill industry (~50%), ~30% to industrial timber, ~10% to energy wood. Revenue from roundwood sales and processed wood products.
2. Real estate management: Manages ~4,150 buildings including hunting lodges, residential houses, and castles (~90 under heritage protection). Revenue from rental, leasing, and granting of hereditary building rights (Baurechte). Sustained growth since 1997 restructuring; revenues more than quadrupled.
3. Hunting and fishing licenses: Manages federal hunting and fishing rights. Fishing licenses across ~550 fisheries and ~2,000 km of flowing waters. Own fisheries operated at Hallstätter See, Grundlsee, and Toplitzsee. Hunting management and license fees.
4. Renewable energy production: Operates 9 hydroelectric plants (80 million kWh/year), wind farms (Windpark Pretul ~133 million kWh/year after 2023 expansion), and co-owns a biomass power plant (with Wien Energie, supplying ~48,000 Viennese households with electricity and ~12,000 with district heat). Total green electricity >300 million kWh/year.
5. Lake and water management: Manages ~74 lakes and ~8,000 lake contracts with private individuals, municipalities, and commercial enterprises (buoys, jetties, boat houses, diving schools, shipping companies). Revenue from rental/pacht of lake bottom areas and waterfront properties. ~70 free nature bathing spots provided at no charge.
6. Nature space management services: Technical planning, construction, tree inspection/cadastre, road construction and maintenance, nature conservation projects, ecological compensation measures, and ecosystem sponsoring (Ökosponsoring). Services provided to third parties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Österreichische Bundesforste AG manages approximately 850,000 hectares (10% of Austria's territory) on behalf of the Republic of Austria, including 510,000 ha of forest (15% of Austrian woodland), 74 lakes, and ~4,150 buildings. Core activities include sustainable timber harvesting and auctioning, hunting and fishing license management, real estate rental/sale (including heritage-protected buildings), renewable energy generation (hydroelectric, wind, biomass), lake and water management, road construction, and nature conservation / ecosystem sponsorship services.

Product overview

Austrian Federal Forests (Österreichische Bundesforste) operates a multi-service platform managing approximately 4,150 properties, over 70 lakes, and extensive forest lands across Austria. The portfolio spans core business divisions including Immobilien (real estate), Holz (sustainable wood harvesting and auctions), Fischerei (fishing across 70+ lakes), Jagd (hunting), and Naturraummanagement (protected areas and biodiversity). Service offerings include forest management consulting (Dienstleistungen), renewable energy development, water supply management, and creative industries licensing for film and events. Digital offerings include the Interaktiver Wald interactive experience, RealiTree platform, Baumquiz educational tool, and Waldküche recipe platform. The WILD.LIVE! program provides environmental education while WALD Magazine offers forest-themed editorial content. The organization operates national parks including Donau-Auen, Kalkalpen, and Biosphärenpark Wienerwald, focusing on sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Holz (Wood/Timber)
• Immobilien (Real Estate)
• Jagd (Hunting)
• Fischerei (Fishing)
• Dienstleistungen (Forest Services)
• Naturraummanagement (Nature Space Management)
• Erneuerbare Energie (Renewable Energy)
• Seen (Lakes)
• Kreativwirtschaft (Creative Industries Locations)
• WILD.LIVE! (Nature Education Program)
• Waldbier (Wald Beer)

Quantifiable outcome

• Manages >300 million kWh/year of green electricity, equivalent to ~100,000 Austrian households' annual consumption
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SITCA Alliance (Global Timber Construction Initiative)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Global alliance promoting the transition to timber construction. ÖBf participates as a forest management company contributing to sustainable timber supply chains for global building projects.
• Wien Energie / Fernwärme WiencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2004Joint venture 'Wien Energie Bundesforste Biomasse Kraftwerk GmbH & Co KG' established in May 2004. ÖBf provides sustainable forest biomass; Wien Energie operates the plant supplying ~48,000 Viennese households with electricity and ~12,000 with district heating. Reduces CO2 by ~144,000 tonnes/year.
• Energy AG Oberösterreich / EWS Consulting GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the planned expansion of the Kobernaußerwald wind park in Upper Austria. Multiple municipalities involved (Lengau, Maria Schmolln, Munderfing, Schalchen, St. Johann am Walde). Currently in site evaluation phase.
• Salzburg AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to assess wind power potential at two sites in Flachgau, Salzburg (Anzenberg and Rannberg-Ebenholzspitz in municipalities of Faistenau, Hintersee, Krispl-Gaißau). Wind measurements ongoing since autumn 2022.
• HORIZON EUROPE BioDiMoBot Consortium (Universities of Graz, Pisa, Brüssel, Durham + industrial partners including Carbon Capture Ltd.)coreTechnology or IntegrationÖBf's fisheries division coordinates participation in the 5-year BioDiMoBot project (kick-off Feb 2025, Graz). Develops autonomous underwater robots for freshwater bio-monitoring. ÖBf serves as consultant and potential future user, formulating requirements for robotic systems to be tested at Millstätter See.
• Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiennial 'Forstwirtschaft' lecture series (theory meets practice) at BOKU. ÖBf executives and experts lecture on methodology and practical tools. Also hosts master theses and dissertation projects. Fördergemeinschaft forschungsfonds supports student research.
• ARGE Tauchen / Tauchsportverband ÖsterreichminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDive Card program for diving at ÖBf-owned lakes (e.g., Vorderer Langbathsee, Vorderer Gosausee, Hallstättersee, Erlaufsee, Grundlsee). Dive Card serves as diving authorization for multiple ÖBf lakes.
• Naturfreunde Österreich (Water:Wege Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation on 'Wasser:Wege' initiative for lake and shoreline access. Joint projects on lake protection and public waterfront accessibility.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Metsähallitus: Finnish state-owned enterprise managing ~3.4 million ha of state-owned land for forestry, nature conservation, and recreational use. Closely analogous in public-ownership mandate, multi-use land stewardship, and timber-plus-services business model.
• Staatsbosbeheer: Dutch state forest and nature agency managing state-owned forests and nature areas. Comparable as a public-sector land steward balancing timber, recreation, and biodiversity — though at smaller scale and in a different ecological setting.
• Landesforsten Rheinland-Pfalz: Rhineland-Palatinate state forest operator managing ~240,000 ha of state-owned forest with timber, hunting, and recreation operations. Comparable public-enterprise structure and multi-revenue-stream model.
• Niedersächsische Landesforsten: State forest enterprise of Lower Saxony, Germany, managing roughly 330,000 ha with timber production, nature conservation, and recreational use. Comparable institutional structure and multi-objective mandate.
• Bayerische Staatsforsten: Bavarian state-owned forest manager operating ~800,000 ha across Bavaria with an integrated mandate covering timber, hunting, recreation, and nature conservation. Most directly comparable European state forest enterprise — similar scale, mandate, and revenue mix to ÖBf.

Regional players

• Verbund AG: Austrian state-controlled hydropower utility and one of Europe's largest electricity producers from hydro. Comparable as a fellow Republic of Austria state-owned enterprise with renewable energy as a core mandate; not a timber peer but relevant for cross-asset context.

Broad incumbents

• Stora Enso: Finnish-Swedish integrated forest products giant owning ~1 million ha of forest land and producing packaging, biomaterials, and sawn timber. Compares on the land-management and timber-supply side, though vastly larger and vertically integrated into mills.
• Hancock Natural Resource Group: One of the world's largest institutional timberland investment managers (a Manulife subsidiary), managing millions of acres globally. Comparable in professionally managed institutional timberland operations, though operating model is fee-based asset management rather than ownership.
• SCA (Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget): Swedish forest products company with extensive private forest holdings and a renewable energy business. Comparable in European timberland ownership and complementary energy operations, but private-sector and far larger.
• UPM-Kymmene: Finnish forest industry group with significant own forest assets, producing timber, pulp, paper, biofuels, and energy. Comparable in owning commercial European forest land and running an integrated energy business, but at much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bundesforste

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Austrian Federal Forests