FVA - The Forest Research Institute Baden-Wuerttemberg

The Forest Research Institute Baden-Wuerttemberg (FVA) is the research facility of the German state Baden-Wuerttemberg and is therefore assigned to the Ministry for Nutrition and Rural areas in Stuttgart. The FVA developed out of the Badish Forest Research Facility in Karlsruhe, which was established in 1870, and the Wuerttembergish Forest Research Facility in Stuttgart-Hohenheim established in 1872 and exists in its current form in Freiburg im Breisgau since 1958.

A close and mutual cooperation within the framework of the so-called "Freiburg-Model" exists between the FVA and theFaculty for Forest and Environmental Science at the Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg. This cooperation expresses itself amongst other things in combined colloquiums, a joint journal series and the initiation of cooperative research projects. Employees of the FVA are also active in the university's teaching programme within the forestry faculty. However, whilst the university carries out predominantly basic research, the FVA administrates practical research and development for the Forest Service and forest enterprises. Many projects are thus carried out in close cooperation with the other Forest Research Institutes in Germany or neighbouring countries (e.g. Austria or Switzerland). In addition, university institutes in, and outside of Freiburg are regularly amongst the partners of the FVA. Additionally, employees of the FVA are represented in numerous national and international consultation and decision-making bodies.