Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL

Avalanche bulletin and snow situation
Edition: Mon 19.1., 17:00
Avalanche Bulletin
Research 19.01.2026
Detecting drought stress in trees from the air
Detecting drought stress in trees from the air

WSL researcher Petra D’Odorico flies drones over forests to explore how native tree species respond to drought.

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Research 14.01.2026
2999 species need special care
2999 species need special care

The new list of priority species shows which endangered species Switzerland has a special responsibility for.

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Two young house martins peer out of a nest built into a rough wall.
 
Research 07.01.2026
Less stem growth despite a longer season
Less stem growth despite a longer season

Earlier start to the season but less growth: How heat and drought are slowing down stem growth in Switzerland.

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Research 15.12.2025
Switch flipped for conditions conducive to fire
Switch flipped for conditions conducive to fire

Dry weather and low humidity are the main drivers of forest fires, with temperature playing a minor role.

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Hubschrauber mit rotem Löschbehälter fliegt vor orangefarbenem Rauch über grünem Feld mit Feuerwehrzelt.
 

Research for people and the environment in a changing world

News

Institutional
05.01.2026
A woman with short hair and glasses is smiling into the camera. The background is grey and neutral.

New head for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Anita Risch takes over as head of the Biodiversity and Conservation Biology research unit on January 1st.

Research
17.12.2025

Forest report 2025: Important findings

The Swiss Forest Report 2025 by WSL and FOEN was published this year. Important findings in this video!

Research
16.12.2025

How much longer will there be glaciers?

A new study with WSL participation has estimated how many glaciers will survive until 2100. In the Alps, only 20 may remain.

Institutional
09.12.2025
A woman with long blonde hair sits on a desk in an office surrounded by various indoor plants. She wears a black turtleneck sweater and reddish-orange pants. A computer is visible next to her, along with a white board in the background.

1.89 million for understanding forest resilience

WSL forest ecologist Charlotte Grossiord receives an ERC Consolidator Grant to understand forest resilience to climate change.

Institutional
04.12.2025
Katrin Meusburgn sits on the ground in a forest, next to a freshly planted tree. The surroundings indicate reforestation activity.

WSL soil researcher becomes ETH professor

Katrin Meusburger researches how soils store and transfer water. The ETH Board has now appointed her as titular professor.

Institutional
27.11.2025
A woman with long dark hair smiles warmly at the camera. She is wearing a dark shirt and has a friendly demeanor, set against a plain, light-colored background.

1.8 mio CHF for research into the carbon cycle

Earth scientist Franziska Lechleitner is researching underground carbon cycles with an SNF Starting Grant worth 1.8 mio CHF.

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Events

26 February 2026

Multifunktionale Lösungen für Städte der Zukunft

Dieser Workshop bietet eine Plattform, um sich über die Herausforderungen und Herangehensweisen bei Planung, Gestaltung und Umsetzung von…

12 March 2026

Multifunktionale Lösungen für Städte der Zukunft - Tag2

Dieser Workshop bietet eine Plattform, um sich über die Herausforderungen und Herangehensweisen bei Planung, Gestaltung und Umsetzung von…

17 March 2026

Waldböden im Klimawandel - Runder Waldtisch

Der Waldboden speichert im Schnitt mehr Kohlenstoff als die oberirdische Biomasse – und er tut weit mehr: Er ist Lebensraum für unzählige…

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