Improvement of transport infrastructure is one of the areas of forestry activities that ensure the development of forestry in Ukraine. An important aspect in this matter is the establishment of appropriate legal framework, which should take into account current trends and experience of advanced countries.

Within the framework of international cooperation between Austrian and Ukrainian foresters there was a training seminar on planning, design and construction of forest roads. The event was financed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regional Development and Water Management and hosted by the Austrian Forest Research Center (BFW) and the Institute of Forest Engineering of the Vienna University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU).

Our experts learned about the special features of forestry in state forests. The example of the BOKU training forestry shows the results of scientific, educational and intensive forestry activities (annual forestry output is 10 m³ per ha). The procedures for survey and design work and methods of construction and maintenance of forest roads on mountain slopes in the forests of Lower Austria were demonstrated by responsible experts of regional and local authorities.

Ukrainian foresters also studied:

- the procedure for financing road construction works in Austrian forests and ways to obtain subsidies;

- methods of laser scanning of forest stands and land plots for further use in the development of forest road projects;

- possibilities of introducing Austrian forest road planning and design methods into Ukrainian forests.