Eco-Engineering and Protection Forests Against Rockfalls and Snow Avalanches

Rijeka

2013

S. 191-210

Artikel aus einer ZeitschriftUnselbständiges Werk

200179408

The primary function considered to be of economic importance for forest stands has always been wood production. Today, society is aware of the necessity of forests provision of additional functions: tourism, outdoor activities, fauna and flora protection, biodiversity, etc. In mountain areas, forests can also serve a protective function against natural hazards. Many forests in the Alps cover steep to very steep slopes (gradients of 35 - 70 degrees) and so have an important protective function against natural hazards, such as: rockfall, snow avalanches, shallow landslides and erosion. The primary function of protection forests is to protect people or assets against the impacts of natural hazards. In order to provide this function,, the first products of these forests are standing trees. Trees act as obstacles to mass movement hazards and/or to the propagation downslope of these hazards (within the MANFRED project we have focused on rockfall and snow avalanche risks).