Climatic Change (2011) 106:225–254 DOI 10.1007/s10584-010-9899-1 Climate change vulnerability of sustainable forest management in the Eastern Alps Rupert Seidl · Werner Rammer · Manfred J. Lexer Received: 23 February 2009 / Accepted: 15 June 2010 / Published online: 17 August 2010 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010 Abstract Considering climatic uncertainties in management planning is a prerequi- site for sustainable forest management (SFM). The aim of the study was to evaluate climate change vulnerability of the current SFM strategy for commercial forests managed by the Austrian Federal Forests. To that end vulnerability indicators were defined in a stakeholder process (selected indicators were productivity, timber and carbon stocks, biodiversity, disturbances, a tree species’ position in fundamental niche space, silvicultural flexibility and cost intensity) and their performance under climate change scenarios assessed with an ecosystem model. Multi criteria analysis techniques were employed in a partial aggregation of indicators to locate forest stands on a vulnerability surface. Results revealed high vulnerability particularly in the second half of the twenty-first century, where 39.6% of the 164.550 ha study area were assessed highly vulnerable to climate change, indicating a strong decline in the functions and services represented by the indicator system. Water-limited sites on calcareous bedrock were most negatively affected whereas assessment units at higher altitudes responded predominately positive to climate warming. The presented approach, transparently integrating multiple management objectives and allowing a quantitative comparison of vulnerabilities between sites and management strategies, contributes to the development of operational and efficient climate change adaptation measures in forest management. R. Seidl (B ) · W. Rammer · M. J. Lexer Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria e-mail: rupert.seidl@boku.ac.at Present Address: R. Seidl Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA