Forest Demonstration Centre

View of the forest demonstration centre
The measuring tower Heuberg
The forest demonstration centre in winter
A view into the treetops
Sunset in the Lehrforst with a view of the Rax-Schneeberg group

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Welcome to the Rosalia forest, the lively center for teaching and research at BOKU.

Welcome to the Lehrforst Rosalia, also known as the Forest Demonstration Centre, where we provide an vital hub for education and research at BOKU university. Spanning around 950 hectares, this forest is home to Austria´s most significant tree species and offers an ideal setting for over 20 BOKU-courses held here annually.

Our cutting-edge ecological research focuses on understanding forest ecosystem responses to global change through a combination of long-term ecological monitoring and experimental methods. Lehrforst Rosalia actively participates in several national and international initiatives and remains eager to expand its networks and foster new collaborations.

For research-related inquiries, feel free to contact Eugenio Diaz-Pines (eugenio.diaz-pines@boku.ac.at, Insitute of Soil Research, link). For technical requests, please refer to our house technician, Wolfgang Trimmel (wolfgang.trimmel@boku.ac.at ).

The Lehrforst Rosalia at ISIA

Since last week the Lehrforst Rosalia is listed as a Installation at ISIA. ISIA stands for Information System for Infrastructure Administration. It is a software solution for ecosystems research facilities. It includes a Site management module and a Project management module.

Digital infrastructure for the educational forest

Sensor control on the Heuberg measuring tower

The highly instrumented Rosalia training forest site is being developed into a cooperative digital infrastructure for ecosystem research. The modernization and digitization measures enable the Rosalia site to be included in the European eLTER RI network. This will position Austria's long-term ecological research internationally.

Networking meeting in the Lehrforst Rosalia

On September 4, 2025, the Lehrforst Rosalia became the meeting place for all BOKU institutes active there. Participants enjoyed a varied program: from exciting insights into drought simulation and biodiversity research to digital innovations in research infrastructure and practical information on hunting and game management. The meeting not only offered in-depth specialist presentations, but also valuable opportunities for exchange and networking.