To achieve a realistic estimation, we differentiate by forest areas where timber use is possible without restrictions, partially restricted or completely suspended.
At present, timber use is basically possible without restrictions on 91% of the forest area. Yet timber is not actually used everywhere. On 4 % of the stocked timberland (approx. 450,000 hectares) timber use is not permitted or not anticipated for a variety of reasons. On 7 % of the area of state forests owned by the Federal government and the Länder no timber use is anticipated, in the communal and the private forests this applies to almost 3 % of the area. Use is only anticipated in part on another 5 %. All in all, timber use is increasingly being suspended.
The reasons for use restrictions include unfavourable terrain conditions, wetlands or insufficient accessibility. Other causes for use restrictions are areas under nature conservation or legally specially protected biotopes, protected and recreational forests as well as natural forest reserves. Sometimes owners decide to suspend use by declaring their forests as protected forest or natural forest reserves. These forests are identified here as areas protected at owner's discretion. Sometimes the reasons for use restrictions also overlap.