"Pecherei" is the common expression in southern Lower Austria for the practice of Resin Extraction from black pine trees (Evergreens). This profession centers around the extraction of tree resin, also known as "Pitch," that will ultimately be used in the production of further chemical products. Those who extract resin for a living are described as "Pecher" or "Resin Workers." In the year 2011, Pecherei was incorporated into the register of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Austria, which was drafted in the context of the UNESCO Convention for the Preservation of Intangible Culture. The most important tree for use in resin extraction is the black pine (Pinus nigra), which has the greatest resin content of all of the European coniferous trees, and it was even used as early as by the Romans for this very purpose. These trees are generally best tapped for their resin between the ages of 90 and 120 years old. In Lower Austria, the Austrian Black Pine is the predominant tree, and its resin is of particularly high-quality, thereby making the Austrian pitch one of the best in the world. History In the southern part of Lower Austria, most prominently in the Industrial Quarter and the Vienna Woods, Pecherei became an established practice probably as early as the 17th century. From the beginning of the 18th century, lords of local manors began to promote pitch extraction, which led to the emergence of Pitch Huts for resin processing. In fact, at this time, Pecherei and the trading business surrounding it became an important source of income for some members of the population. In the early decades of the 19th century, resin extraction experienced its first heyday, as an increase in demand led to increasing prices and production. However, throughout the 1960s, the industry gradually came to a standstill. The main reason for this was the fact that cheaper, comparable products were being imported from eastern-bloc countries (communist countries during the cold war) as well as from Turkey, Greece, and Portugal. Also, around this time there were numerous advances in technical chemistry that made resin less necessary for numerous products. Austrian Social Security Law still recognizes the Pecherei profession in the context of independent practitioners. This profession is defined as follows: "Self-employed Resin Workers are people who, without being employed on the basis of a service or apprenticeship relationship, pursue a seasonally recurring, monetarily gainful activity by extracting resin products