About a third of Switzerland is covered in forest. With a growing population and constant industrial growth, you might think that there would be less forest every day. But this is not the case. Switzerland has strict laws that ensure that any forest that is cut down must be replaced. As a result, the Swiss forest has been growing since the 1980s. Detailed data have been available since 2004 and show that the total area of forest in Switzerland has increased by 40,000 hectares since then. This represents an increase of 4%.

Not all areas of Switzerland experience the same rate of growth. As a result of the above-mentioned laws, the forest area in densely populated areas has remained fairly constant. The greatest increase has taken place in the Alps and Jura, where steep and difficult to farm fields have been abandoned multiple decades ago. With the land no longer being cultivated, the forest has reclaimed it. This development is the main cause for the increase in forest area. In fact, most of the land that now supports newly grown forest was farmland before.

This map shows the change in forest area per canton from 2004 to 2022. Hover over a canton to see the exact percentage.

There are many benefits to increasing forest cover. Forests provide good protection against avalanches and floods. New trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Forests also store water well. About 40% of the plant, animal and fungus species of Switzerland depend on forests for their survival.
A high biodiversity is the basis for a strong and adaptable ecosystem. With the challenges climate change brings, this diversity is now especially important. The swiss forest is home to hundreds of different species of trees, each with its own biological niche where it can flourish.

The following list contains the 30 most common tree species in Switzerland. Click on a leaf to see where the corresponding tree has been observed between 1980 and today.

But we should not want all of Switzerland to be covered in forest. Because in addition to all the positive effects, the overgrowth of mountain meadows also has some negative aspects, for example the loss of species-rich biotopes. The original cultural landscape in the mountain regions becomes more monotonous due to natural reforestation, which can also reduce its recreational value and attractiveness for tourism.
In addition, The government has recognised wood as a valuable resource that will be essential in achieving its goals in climate protection, energy production and environmental protection. It is trying to reduce its dependence on wood imports and increase its use of domestic wood.
So it has created the "Aktionsplan Holz" a policy to not only to increase wood harvest in our country but also to make it sustainable and in accordance with nature and biodiversity. Thus protecting the climate and with it our wildlife.

The plan has been in effect since 2009. Select one or multiple Cantons below to see if you can spot its influence over time.