1034 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



SWITZERLAND * 



Less than one third of the forest area of Switzerland is privately 

 owned, and the private forests are mostly in very small tracts. Few 

 are over 200 hectares (500 acres) in extent. There are practically no 

 important areas of private forest in the high mountain districts. 

 Public regulation is based on the policy that the forest area of the 

 country must not be diminished. 



Although many of the cantons had laws regulating clearing of 

 forest land, these were generally little enforced until severe floods in 

 1830 and subsequent years called attention to the protective value of 

 forest cover. Later, the Federal Government made small grants 

 toward reforestation and engineering works in the Alps. In 1876 a 

 law was passed providing for Federal control over protection forests 

 in the mountainous portions of certain cantons. In 1902 the Federal 

 Government assumed general supervision over all the forests of the 

 country, which were to be classified as protection forests and non- 

 protection forests. This classification was done by the cantonal 

 authorities, subject to approval by the Federal council. 



Protection forests were those in the reception basins of torrent and 

 those affording protection against avalanches, falling rocks, landslides, 

 soil washing, irregularities of stream flow, and harmful climatic influ- 

 ences. In 1914, 60.8 percent of all private forests were classed as pro- 

 tection forests. In 1923 nonprotection forests were put under restric- 

 tions similar to those governing protection forests. 



Deforestation or even clear cutting is forbidden unless especially 

 authorized (for nonprotection forests) by the cantonal or (for protec- 

 tion forests) by the Federal authorities. Where such permission is 

 given, the authorities may require the afforestation of an equal area 

 elsewhere. All cutting must be supervised by foresters. Cut-over 

 areas, as well as openings caused by fire, avalanche (where possible to 

 restock such areas), windstorms, etc., must be reforested within 3 

 years. Trees in wooded pastures must be conserved so far as possible. 



The Federal Government or the cantons may require an owner to 

 construct defensive works against avalanches and rock slides, and to 

 establish protective forests where these are necessary to protect 

 existing forests from damage. The confederation and the cantons 

 pay a large part of the cost of such work. An owner may demand 

 that the canton or commune purchase land on which the creation of a 

 protective forest or defensive works has been ordered. The Federal 

 Government contributes up to 50 percent of the purchase price for 

 lands bought by the cantons or communes. 



Where privately owned forests are in especially exposed situations 

 or in the reception basins of torrents, the owners may be compelled to 

 pool their forests so that they can be managed according to a common 

 plan. The Federal Government pays the cost of organizing these 

 combinations and the cantonal foresters are to supervise them without 

 cost to the owners. The formation of similar associations may also 

 be required in other places upon request of two thirds of the owners 

 if they own more than one half of the forest land within the unit. The 



16 Loi federate concernant la haute surveillance de la Confederation sur la police des forSts, du 11 Octobre 

 1902. 



Fernow, B. E., A Brief History of Forestry, p. 191-197. Cambridge, Mass., 1911. 



PailliS, M., "Rapport sur 1'intervention de 1'Etat dans la gestion des forets particulieres d'apres quel- 

 ques legislations recentes. In Actes Congres International de Sylviculture, p. 32-53. Internatl. Inst. 

 Agr., Rome, 1926. 



Petitmermet, M., manuscript report in files of U.S. Forest Service. 1931. 



