RECENT SWISS LAW FOR REBOISEMENT. 375 



in the south of France. But these conditions may prove less endurable with us, 

 where the climate is ruder and colder than in those countries. The cultivation of the 

 Boil may become impossible, the population considerably diminished, and the elevated 

 parts of the mountains now inhabited may become altogether desolate. 



The active efforts of the Swiss Forestry Association and of intelli- 

 gent persons throughout the country led, some years later, to an amend- 

 ment to the Federal constitution, which was sanctioned April 19, 1873, 

 and provided as follows : 



XXII. The Federal Union has the right of supervising structures for the protection 

 of water-courses, and of the forest police in the mountain regions. It will assist in 

 the improvement and building of protective structures for water-courses, and in the 

 planting of forests at their sources. It will euact the requisite protective regulations 

 for maintaining these works and the forests now existing. 



XXIII. The I'ederal Union is authorized to enact regulations for governing fisheries 

 and hunting, and make particular provision for the preservation of the mountain 

 game, and also for the protection of birds useful to laud and forest culture. 



This change did not contemplate interference with the laws previously 

 existing in the several cantons, except in so far as the public welfare of the 

 country might require. This community of interests has at length led 

 to the passage of the following important law, which dates from March 

 24, 1876, and forms a new era in the forestal history of this country : ' 



Federal law relating to the high surveillance of the Confederation over the police of forests in 

 the elevated regions. 



I. GENERAL PROVISIONS. 



Article 1. The confederation will exercise high surveillance over the police of 

 forests in th'^ zone of elevated regions in Switzerland. 

 Art. 2. This surveillance will extend — 



(1) To the whole territory of the cantons of Uri, Unterwalden, Glaris, Appenzell, 

 Grisons, Tessin, and Valais. 



(2) To the mountainous part of the territory in the cantons of Zurich, Berne, Lu- 

 cerne, Schwy tz, Zug, Freyburg, St. Gall, and Vaud. In these latter cantons, the federal 

 council will fix, in concert ^fvith the governments interested, the limits of alpine re- 

 gions which shall be placed under the high surveillance of the confederation. If the 

 federal council and the cantonal government cannot agree upon the subject of forestal 

 limitation, the federal assembly shall decide. 



Art. 3. Within the limits of the federal forestal zone, all forest protection shall be 

 under the high surveillance of the confederation. 



The State forests, and those belonging to communes and corporations, are subject to 

 this supervision, the same as if other means for protection were not provided. 



The articles 11, 14 (clauses 2, 3, and 4), 15. 20, and 27 (Nos. 2, 4, 8, and 9), of the 

 present law, are only applicable to forests owned by individuals, which are not of the 

 character of forests for protection. 



Art, 4. Forests for protection are those which by reason of their altitude, or of their 

 location upon steep slopes, culminating points, ridges, mountain-brows, or projections, 

 or in the region of springs, or in ravines, or on the banks of streams and rivers, by 

 reason of the insuCBcient wooding of the country serve as a protection against climatic 

 influences, or injuries from winds, avalanches, the fall of stones or ice, abrasions or 

 slidings of soil, the wearing of ravines and inundations. 



Art. 5. The cantons shall, within two years, cause a determination to be made be- 

 tween those forests which are a protection and those which are not. This operation 

 shall be submitted for examination and sanction by the federal council. 



Art, 6, The cantons shall issue the decrees and ordinances necessary to carry this law 

 into effect, and shall submit a copy thereof for the examination and sanction of the 

 federal council. 



The federal council will supervise their application, and to this end will appoint a 

 forest inspector, to whom shall be furnished a sufficient number of assistants. 



II. limitations and personal duties of the forest service. 



Art. 7. The territory of cantons and parts of cantons included in the federal forest 

 zone shall be divided into cantonal governments for the better organization of the 

 forest service. 



Art. 8, For the execution and application of forest laws, the cantons shall appoint 

 and provide for the necessary number of foresters sufficiently educated for their duties. 



Art. 9, The cantons are required to organize under a course of sylviculture such 

 subordinate employes qualified for these duties as may be found necessary. 



