What is the difference between felling & clearing?
- Felling is the removal of trees for forest maintenance or timber harvesting with subsequent reforestation.
- A clearing is the use of forest land for purposes other than those of forest cultivation, i.e. a reduction in forest area. This may sometimes not even require cutting down a tree. Clearing is generally prohibited under the Forest Act. Under certain conditions, an exception permit can be applied for.
Felling
The use of forests is regulated by the Forest Act and the Tyrolean Forest Regulations.
Do I need a permit for felling?
In principle, you need a permit from Service Unit District Forestry Inspectorate - Forestry law and permits for felling.
You do not need a permit for the following exceptions:
- Timber quantities of less than 50 fm of wood
- Uses on an area smaller than 0.2 ha (including already existing use areas)
How do I apply for a permit?
The application is made through the forest supervisor - see contact persons.
Who issues the permit?
The permit is issued by the forestry commission of the municipality of Innsbruck.
The decision of the forestry commission is digitally signed and sent to the forest owners concerned.
Who are my contacts?
Your responsible forest supervisor will be happy to advise you:
Clearing
In principle, the use of forest soil for purposes other than forest cultivation is prohibited. If you still want to use the forest (e.g. use forest soil permanently or cut down trees without reforestation), you can apply for a clearing permit. There are clearings that require notification and clearings that require a permit.
When is a clearing subject to notification?
According to § 17a para. 1 FG, a clearing is (only) subject to notification if:
- the clearing does not affect an area of more than 1,000 m²,
- You report the clearing with all necessary documents to the authority and
- the authority does not inform you within six weeks of receipt of the notification that the clearing may not be carried out without the granting of a clearing permit.
All areas immediately adjacent to the area notified for clearing and already cleared for the same purpose on the basis of a notification shall be included in the area cleared, provided that such areas were cleared no more than ten years previously. The validity of the notification expires if the notified clearing is not carried out within one year from the date of receipt of the notification by the authority.
How do I register a clearing?
The information sheet for clearing that requires notification lists the documents you need. You send these documents to the authority - in this case, the Referat Grundverkehr
When does clearing require a permit?
If the clearing concerns an area of more than 1,000 m² or if the authorities have informed you that you need a clearing permit, you must apply for a clearing permit.
How do I apply for a clearing permit?
The leaflet for a clearing application according to § 19 FG lists which documents you need. You send these documents to the authority - in this case the Department of Land Transport.