Forest health inventory

Current inventory (in German)

The Sanasilva Inventory has been carried out in its current form since 1985. Its aim is to monitor the health of the Swiss forest using crown and tree parameters as indicators of forest condition.

The size of the systematic sample grid has been changed twice since 1985. From 1985 until 1992 approximately 8,000 trees were assessed on nearly 700 plots placed on a 4x4 km grid. In 1993, 1994 and 1997 approximately 4,000 trees were assessed on a 8x8 km subgrid. In 1995, 1996 and since 1998 approximately 1100 trees on a 16x16 km subgrid were assessed.

The name of the inventory has changed subsequently with the change in assessment methods. Until 1992 the inventory was called "Forest damage inventory" ("Waldschadensinventur"), in 1993 this was changed to "Forest condition inventory" ("Waldzustandsinventur"). Since 1995 the inventory has been called the "Sanasilva Inventory."

The results of the Sanasilva Inventory were last presented in the Sanasilva report 1997, published in 1998.

For a more detailed description of the assessment method in 1997 see our field manual (PDF file, in German).

For further information please contact Christian Hug.