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Forest Expansion in the Swiss Alps (WaSAlp) |
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| Summary | Project WaSAlp Flyer (German)
SummaryIn the last 150 years the forests of Switzerland have increased by approximately
30 - 50%. This process is largely a result of the abandonment of agricultural
land in the mountain regions, which, in turn, is considered a result of
farm closure. Also, agricultural policy, which aims to preserve open land
and to ensure cultivation of marginal lands, relies on this conclusion.
However, based on production and location theory, contemporary concepts
of agricultural economics and empirical indications, we suggest that the
relationships between forest expansion and structural change in agriculture
are more complex. Our research questions are therefore......... What are
the driving forces of forest expansion in the Swiss Alps? Are there patterns
of land abandonment and forest expansion in space and time? Project aimsThe aim of this research project is to identify, disentangle and quantify the relevant patterns and cause-effect relationships between land abandonment and forest expansion in the Swiss Alps with the help of large quantitative datasets. More specifically, we aim to answer the following questions in order to gain greater understanding in the processes involved:
MethodsTwo complementary methods will be used in order to detect the driving forces of land abandonment and forest expansion:(i) Total Area Approach (TAA) – This is a broad-scale analysis comprising the use of data sets covering the whole of the Swiss Alps and Jura e.g. the Areal Statistic, the National Forest Inventory (LFI), topographic maps and farm census data. (ii) Repeated Aerial Photo Analysis of Selected Areas (RAPAS) – The use of aerial photo sequences, dendrochronology and public surveys/interviews allows the closer examination of patterns of land abandonment and forest expansion in at least 4 political communities i.e. Tujetsch (GR), Soazza (GR), Eggiwil (BE) and Blitzingen (VS). Spatial modelling will enable the quantification of the relevant patterns and cause-effect relationships using the above two database approaches. Claudia Schreiber provides a link between the WaSAlp project and the
public, writing magazine articles and information sheets as well as communicating
with potential interested parties such as people living in the mountain
communities who actively experience the process of land abandonment and
forest expansion.
Workshops
Publications
Conference Posters
Case Study Areas
Journalistic Accompaniment (Claudia Schreiber) (German & French only)
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