Wald und Waldpolitik im Kanton Tessin – die neuen Herausforderungen | Forest and forest policy in the Canton Ticino – a new challenge

Half of the surface of the Swiss Canton Ticino is covered by forest,which has an enormous annual increment of nearly half a million cubic meters. 40% of the forest surface protects human lives and goods from natural hazards. In the medium term 18%will be defined as forest reserve and 8000 ha have a special recreational function. For topographical reasons, and because of the ownership structure and lack of infrastructure, only 10%of the increment is harvested each year and two third of the lumber is low-quality energy wood. The promotion of wood heating systems in the public sector to guarantee a certain market for such lumber has high political priority. In the medium term such a wood energy policy will allow the peripheral regions to survive. With the employment of geologists and by maintaining the forestry districts the Cantonal forest authorities have taken the initiative in the combat against natural hazards.