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Environmental and socio-economic developments induce land-use changes with potentially negative impacts on human well-being. To counteract undesired developments, a profound understanding of the complex relationships between drivers, land use, and ecosystem services is needed. Yet, national studies examining extended time periods are still rare. Based on the Special Report on land use, land management and climate change by the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC), we use the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to (1) identify the main drivers of land-use change, (2) describe past and future land-use changes in Austria between 1950 and 2100, (3) report related impacts on ecosystem services, and (4) discuss management responses. Our findings indicate that socio-economic drivers (e.g., economic growth, political systems, and technological developments) have influenced past land-use changes the most. The intensification of agricultural land use and urban sprawl have primarily led to declining ecosystem services in the lowlands. In mountain regions, the abandonment of mountain grassland has prompted a shift from provisioning to regulating services. However, simulations indicate that accelerating climate change will surpass socio-economic drivers in significance towards the end of this century, particularly in intensively used agricultural areas. Although climate change-induced impacts on ecosystem services remain uncertain, it can be expected that the range of land-use management options will be restricted in the future. Consequently, policymaking should prioritize the development of integrated land-use planning to safeguard ecosystem services, accounting for future environmental and socio-economic uncertainties. [Display omitted] • We synthesize changes in agriculture, forestry, and urban areas in Austria. • Past land-use changes were driven mainly by socio-economic factors. • Land-use changes generally led to a decline in ecosystem services (ES). • Climate change is expected to become a dominant driver after the mid-century. • Land-use strategies need to account for future uncertainties to safeguard ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We tested a rapid assessment for saproxylic insects based on feeding galleries and boreholes. • 3641 standing and lying dead objects were examined in 1,444 NFI plots for insect traces. • We found 2,770 insect traces of the orders Coleoptera (n = 2,624), Hymenoptera (n = 143) and Lepidoptera (n = 3) • All insect abundances increased on trees taller than 18 m and above a living stand volume of 41 m3ha−1. • We recommend a tree species-specific dead wood management already considering living wood. Knowledge of habitat requirements of saproxylic insects and their response to habitat changes is critical for assessing the ecological impacts of forest management. Several studies have demonstrated a positive relationship of tree-species richness, deadwood volume, or structural diversity with saproxylic species diversity, while the relationship with the abundance of potential pest species have often been negative. A better understanding of which factors drive saproxylic insects' occurrence is therefore essential for deriving urgently needed thresholds for key habitat conditions. We tested a rapid assessment method applicable at large scale based on recorded feeding galleries and boreholes assessed during the Austrian National Forest Inventory to investigate the drivers and habitat thresholds of different saproxylic insect families; i.e. Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Curculionidae, Siricidae, at multiple spatial scales; i.e. at the object, forest stand and landscape level. We modelled the relative abundance of all insects and these families considering nineteen explanatory variables using ordinal logistic regression models. Key habitat characteristics were identified using recursive partitioning. Our results revealed complex interactions among influencing factors at different spatial scales. We showed that deadwood volume was of surprisingly little importance. Instead, individual tree characteristics were of major importance, demonstrating the value of resource quality and variability. The abundance of all saproxylic insect families increased with advancing decomposition, on trees taller than 18 m, and above a living stand volume of 41 m3ha−1. Aiming to guide forest management, not only forest type-specific, but tree species-specific deadwood management is needed, taking into account site-specific conditions, including temperature and precipitation. For assessing temporal trends in insect colonization and habitat dynamics as well as the effects of forest management, we propose a continuous monitoring of insect traces, including living but weakened trees. This will allow for further thresholds that are urgently needed for maintaining biological diversity in forest ecosystems in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current state of research shows that there is big potential for the use of wood, particularly harvested wood products (HWP) to mitigate climate change and increase carbon stocks. Despite of discussions on different accounting approaches, the forest-based sector can contribute with the production of long-lasting wood products to reach international climate goals. This leads to high demands on forests and on what they can deliver both at EU and the national levels. In Austria it has been bemoaned by the Environmental Agency in its recent –eleventh- control report, that a comprehensive concept for the use of wood is missing. The report asks for consideration of increasing future needs for raw wood and energy under considerations of sustainability and under inclusion of all actors involved. Apparently there are some disparities within the different policy instruments. In order to successfully concertise the national policy framework it is of paramount importance to gather the policy actors involved and examine their suggestions for solving the issue. The article is enquiring amongst a number of high level Austrian experts and stakeholders about their perspectives and solutions for enhancing the contribution of the forest based sector to combat climate change. We examine the nature of the suggested instruments and outline the perceived options for action within the capacities of the forest based sector. This is done by way of a triangulation of face-to-face qualitative interviews, moderated focus group discussions and one survey. For the increase in carbon efficiency, all the participants notably emphasise long lasting material use and increase in use. Yet the opinions are contradicting when it comes to energetic use. Our findings indicate that the expert views reflect diverging perspectives on the use of wood for energy consumption. Some opt for policies that support energy consumption of wooden biomass to replace fossil fuels, others want any energy use of wood to become restricted drastically. As a final result, the article derives 16 principle policy measures and instruments that were brought up and assessed by the stakeholders in several rounds of interaction. We conclude that small improvements to existing measures could have ample impacts. • Material use of long-lasting wood products is first priority policy option. • Forest based industry needs to adapt to changes in tree species due to climate change. • Material use versus energetic use is the most debated issue by stakeholders. • The term "cascadic use" is interpreted differently by stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]