The Federal Research Centre for Forests (BFW) is an Austrian research and service organisation focused on forests and their sustainable management. Its work spans forest growth and silviculture, biodiversity and nature conservation, forest ecology and soils, forest protection, forest inventories, and natural hazards. Through specialist institutes and research teams, BFW investigates topics such as forest genetics, vegetation, soil health, pests, snow and avalanches, and torrent processes and hydrology.

BFW connects scientific research with practical knowledge and public services. It provides advice, service portals, publications, research project information, and educational resources for people interested in forests. Its training programmes are delivered through the Forest Training Centres in Traunkirchen and Ossiach and include courses and teaching materials. The organisation also works on forest recreation, Green Care, social forestry, urban forestry, international cooperation, and gender roles in forestry. BFW shares its findings through events, publications, and the “Wissen rund um den Wald” knowledge platform, helping professionals and the wider public access research and guidance on forests.