Welcome at Österreich Plus
Österreich plus allows you to combine certified international carbon offsetting with environmental action in your region.
REGIONAL PERSPEKTIVEs for a GLOBAL PROBLEM
The Kyoto Protocol recommends that climate protection should be implemented where it can be most cost-effectively. Meanwhile, there are also enough reasons for regional climate protection. Encouraged by our customers, whose wish it was, in addition to our carbon offsez project PROJECT TOGO, also to get involved regionally, we first launched the project Deutschland plus and subsequently Österreich plus.

Ascending morning mist on a glade in the Montafon.
What is ÖSTERREICH PLUS?
The project Östereich plus allows you international and at the same time regional climate and environmental commitment. By combining international and regional carbon offset projects, the combined carbon offset credits by natureOffice are being developed.
While the actual offsetting of your emissions takes place via Gold Standard or VCS certified carbon offset projects, you also support the important work of the Bergwaldprojekt e.V. in the austrian region Montafon.
REGIONAL climate protection in MONTAFON
Regional forests need our help to adapt to environmental and climatic changes. This takes place in which we advance the forest conversion and forest protection, as for example with the project Montafon in Vorarlberg.
The protection against natural hazards is the most important function of the forest in the Montafon.
The disaster years 1999 and 2005 with avalanches, landslides and flood damage have impressively demonstrated this function of the mountain forest.
Main work of the Bergwaldprojekt e.V. are:
- Care and construction of paths
- Cleaning the surfaces after forest protection works
- Plant preservation
- Individual protection of trees against game bite
- Keeping grazing areas clear
Facts about the project:
- Project type: Combined certificate
- Project name: Österreich plus
- Project locations: Austria and various
- Project standard: Gold Standard/ VCS/ CCBS (depending on chosen carbon offset project)
- Additional contribution: per certificate we forward EUR 5 to the charitable Bergwaldprojekt e.V.

Idyllic - Traditional wooden huts on lush meadows.
WAS characterizes ÖSTERREICH PLUS ?
The project Österreich plus is dedicated to forest conservation and forest conversion.
In cooperation with the charitable foundation - Bergwaldprojekt - we want to give our
customers in Austria the opportunity to engage regionally in environmental actions.
First supported project, Montafon in Vorarlberg
The first project from the series Österreich plus is the project Montafon in Vorarlberg.
Since 1994, Montafon forest stands have been used in mountain forest projects.
In the early years, the mountain forest project worked in the forests above Vandans in the Rellstal and in St. Gallenkirch, from 1997 to 2010 in the Silbertal and from 2011 in the Rellstal.
From 2014, the mountain forest project will be active again in the Silbertal. The main work of the mountain forest project in the Montafon are maintenance and construction of new paths, forced use, impact clearance, plants, individual protection and clearing of the pastures.
With Österreich plus you are supporting a concrete regional project, currently in the Montafon in Vorarlberg, because of each Österreich plus climate protection combined certificate, 5 euros go directly to the Bergwaldprojekt Foundation.
The WALD, our BIGGEST climate protector
The forest is much more than a resort for us, where we find peace and relaxation.
We make concrete demands on the forest. But we also have to support him for that.
Climate change has long since reached our native forests. Heavy rain or drought periods stress the forest. The increase in the average annual average temperature or the entry of new pests require an increased effort in the maintenance of the stock.
The forest performs invaluable daily functions:
- He is our pantry, our drinking water and fresh air supplier
- He gives us wood for houses, furniture and paper.
- He ensures the biodiversity of countless animal and plant species.
- He determines, together with the oceans, our global climate.
- He provides protection against floods, rockfalls and avalanches.
From the oxygen of a 100-year-old beech, an adult human could breathe for 13 years.
With a CO2 binding of 6 kg per day, through just one tree, the forest is our biggest climate field.
The climate change has reached
austria as well
The initial situation is the same as in Germany - the severe weather warnings are increasing, while precipitation is decreasing by up to 25% and the average annual temperature is rising by 0.5 ° C. Again and again we are hit by heavy rain and extreme storms and the landscape will change profoundly.
Climate change has already brought the forests out of balance:
Frequent periods of drought and heat waves are fueling more and more forest fires.
- Fungal diseases and insect infestation characterize the forest ecosystem.
- Climate-induced species poverty is progressing massively.
For a long time, the Austrian forest has not been as healthy and robust as expected.
The forest is faced with the challenge of adapting to climate change.
We have to help him to help himself.

The Tschaggunser church in the middle of the Montafon.

Difficult path construction on a steep slope.

A healthy forest needs up to 60m3 / ha deadwood.

Tree planting on the steep slope.