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Influencing factors on the implementation of forest reserves in Switzerland

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Abstract

In 1999, an international expert team found the neglect of biodiversity issues in Swiss forest policy to be one of its biggest weaknesses. Influenced by this scientific assessment, the Federal Forest Agency developed forest reserve guidelines with measurable objectives in cooperation with the constituent states (cantons). To assess the outcomes of the Swiss forest reserve concept, we surveyed cantons’ implementation degree in 2011. In a previous paper, Kaeser et al. (For Policy Econ 3:6–13, 2013) discussed the survey’s results from the perspective of new forms of governance in Swiss biodiversity policy. However, the use of different governance approaches could only partly account for the differences between the cantons’ forest reserve areas. As a continuation of this study, the present paper contributes to the discussion about the influencing factors on the implementation of forest reserves in Swiss cantons. For this purpose, we examine the effect of institutional drivers, public policies, property rights and user conflicts in 22 Swiss cantons on their forest reserve areas by using a multiple regression. The effect of financial conditions and the share of protective forest of the cantons on forest reserves is statistically significant. The findings indicate that the potential for forest reserves in protective forests in the mountains has been neglected so far. A combination of forest reserves and protective forests could result in a win–win-situation of ‘less effort for the management of protective forest’ and ‘more biodiversity’.

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Notes

  1. Forest Law of 1991: ‘the cantons may set aside forest reserves large enough to ensure the conservation of the species diversity of flora and fauna’ (Article 20 para 4) and ‘the Confederation shall provide financial support of up to 50 per cent of the costs incurred for protective measures for the upkeep of forest reserves’ (Article 38 para 3).

  2. Forest Ordinance of 1992: ‘Financial support shall be paid (..) for the protection or upkeep of forest reserves whose long-term existence is ensured in zoning plans and by means of a contract’ (Article 49 para 1).

  3. Federal Act on the new System of Financial Equalisation and Division of Tasks between the Confederation and the Cantons.

  4. Forest Law of 1991 (Status 2008), Article 38: ‘the Confederation shall provide financial assistance for measures that contribute to the conservation and improvement of biological diversity in the forest, in particular for:’ (para 1) ‘the protection and maintenance of forest reserves and other ecologically valuable forest habitats’ (para 1 a).

  5. Forest Ordinance of 1992 (Status 2011), Article 41: The amount of financial support is ‘based on the number of hectares of forest reserves that are to be designated and maintained (para 1 a)’, ‘negotiated between the Federal Office and the canton concerned (para 2)’, ‘allocated, if the protection (…) is guaranteed contractually or in any other suitable way (para 3)‘.

  6. The former Federal Forest Agency was integrated in 2006 into today’s Federal Office for the Environment.

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List of cited legal acts

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  • SR 921.0 Federal Act on Forest (Forest Act, ForA) of 4 October 1991 (Status as of 1 January 2008)

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  • AS 2007 5823 Verordnung über Anpassungen des Verordnungsrechts an die Neugestaltung des Finanzausgleichs und der Aufgabenteilung zwischen Bund und Kantonen vom 7. November 2007

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  1. ETH Zurich, Institute for Environmental Decisions, Zurich, Switzerland

    Alexandra Kaeser & Willi Zimmermann

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  1. Alexandra Kaeser
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  2. Willi Zimmermann
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Correspondence to Alexandra Kaeser.

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Kaeser, A., Zimmermann, W. Influencing factors on the implementation of forest reserves in Switzerland. Biodivers Conserv 23, 3501–3517 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0776-5

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