The reserves are distributed all over Switzerland with a focus in the Alps (fig 1). This allows statements to be made about the widely distributed forest types (table 1). The main focus is directed on forest types in which forests are managed – outside of the reserves – or on forests for which Switzerland bears a special responsibility in an international context. Reserves with existing data series were the preferred choice. Reserves with a mosaic-like pattern of strongly differing forest types were not considered because they are unsuitable for monitoring. We conduct intensive monitoring in 15 reserves.
Table 1: Natural forest reserves with intensive and extensive monitoring:
Italics: Reserves which were not monitored by the ETH.
“Type” denotes the forest type which is to be captured in a particular reserve. mp = mountain pine forests, be= beech forests, sp= spruce forests, sc= scots pine forests, st = stone pine forest, sp-fi = spruce-fir forests, la-st= larch-stone pine forests, fi-be= fir-beech forests, ot= other forests.
a = adjustment with existing sampling inventory necessary.
b = final decision after inspection
c = full callipering instead of sampling inventory
d = new permanent plots
e = Reserves with monitoring in several forest types are listed several times
f = only natural forest reserves without special forest reserves
Reserve name | Canton | Start moni- | Reserve area (ha)f | Type | Monitoring | Planned number sample plots | Number of permanent plots | Area permanent plots (ha) | Full cruises | Year next inventory |
La Niva | GR | 2015 | 52 | mp | intensive | 85 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 |
Nationalpark | GR | 1977 | 4'800 | mp | extensive |
| 13 | 12.9 |
| 2025 |
Seeliwald | OW | 1972 | 79 | mp | intensive | 99 | 4 | 3.3 |
| 2026 |
Bois de Chênes | VD | 1969 | 83 | be | intensive | 70 | 11 | 7.1 |
| 2027 |
Sihlwald | ZH | 1994 | 841 | be | intensive | 229 | 1 | 11.0 |
| 2028 |
Adenberg | ZH | 1970 | 5 | be | extensive |
| 4 | 1.8 | X | 2032 |
Bannhalde | ZH | 1972 | 2.5 | be | extensive |
| 1 | 0.5 |
| 2024 |
Krummenlinden | AG | 1962 | 3 | be | extensive |
| 2 | 0.5 |
| 2031 |
Langgraben | ZH | 1972 | 4.3 | be | extensive |
| 2 | 0.8 |
| 2024 |
Bettlachstock | SO | 1995 | 414 | be | extensive | 126 | 1 | 1.3 |
| 2024 |
Fürstenhalde | ZH | 1970 | 17 | be | extensive |
| 2 | 1.1 |
| 2032 |
Girstel | ZH | 1957 | 10 | be | extensive |
| 13 | 2.8 |
| 2027 |
Mettlenrain-Höchi | BE | 2015 | 72 | be | extensive | 40 |
|
|
| 2026 |
Montricher | VD | 2001 | 115 | be | extensive | 29 |
|
|
| 2023 |
Rinsberg | ZH | 1972 | 19 | be | extensive |
| 1 | 0.7 |
| 2026 |
Strassberg | ZH | 1975 | 6.3 | be | extensive |
| 3 | 1.7 |
| 2024 |
Tariche Bois Banal | JU | 1972 | 13 | be | extensive |
| 5 | 1.6 | Xc | 2024 |
Tariche Haute Côte | JU | 1972 | 9 | be | extensive |
| 3 | 1.5 | Xc | 2032 |
Tutschgenhalden | ZH | 1970 | 66 | be | extensive |
| 3 | 1.3 |
| 2023 |
Unterwilerberg | AG | 1962 | 59 | be | extensive |
| 3 | 0.3 | Xc | 2027 |
Vorm Stein | ZH | 1970 | 10 | be | extensive |
| 3 | 0.9 |
| 2032 |
Weidwald | AG | 1963 | 5 | be | extensive |
| 3 | 1.5 |
| 2031 |
Bödmerenwald | SZ | 1972 | 341 | sp | intensive | 212a | 4 | 4.8 |
| 2028 |
Scatlè | GR | 1964 | 9 | sp | intensive |
| 2 | 6.4 |
| 2028 |
Tiefenwald | GL | - | 36 | sp | extensiveb | 32 | 1d | 1.0 | Xb | 2023 |
Uaul Prau Nausch | GR | 1997 | 66 | sp | extensive | 29 |
|
| 2024 | |
Derborence | VS | 1957 | 22 | sp-fi | intensive | 15 | 6.5 |
| Xc | 2031 |
Arena | TI | - | 177 | sp-fi, fi-be | intensive | 168 | 3 | 2.0 | 2031 | |
Hobacher/Salzbrunnen | SZ | - | 194 | sp-fi | extensiveb | 40 |
| 2023 | ||
Pfynwald | VS | 1957 | 994 | sc | intensive |
| 4 | 0.8 | X | 2029 |
Weidel | ZH | 1975 | 0.6 | sc | extensive |
| 1 | 0.6 |
| 2024 |
Aletschwald | VS | 1933 | 410 | la-st | intensive | 107 | 3d | 1.5 | X | 2023 |
Selvasecca | TI | 2014 | 76 | la-st | extensive | 29 |
| 2024 | ||
Tamangur | GR | 1905 | 86 | la-st | extensive | 39 | 3d | 1.9 |
| 2023 |
Murgtal | SG | 2015 | 347 | st | extensive |
| 4d | 1.3 |
| 2026 |
Combe Biosse | NE | 1986 | 58 | fi-be | intensive | 94 | 11 | 5.0 |
| 2030 |
Leihubelwald | OW | 1972 | 24 | fi-be, sp-fi | intensive |
| 8 | 2.4 | Xc | 2031 |
Tösswald | ZH | - | 47 | fi-be | extensiveb | 38a | 2030 | |||
Val Cama - Val Leggia | GR | 2009 | 1200 | fi-be, sp-fi | intensive | 151 |
|
|
| 2029 |
Les Follatères | VS | 1969 | 396 | ot | intensive | 76 | 6 | 2.1 |
| 2025 |
Josenwald | SG | 1976 | 85 | ot, be | intensive | 82 | 7 | 2.5 |
| 2029 |
Hüntwangenhalde | ZH | 1970 | 2.5 | ot | extensive |
| 1 | 0.8 |
| 2027 |
Seldenhalde/Wutach | SH | 1972 | 4.5 | ot | extensive |
| 6 | 2.0 |
| 2024 |
| St. Jean | BE | 1957 | 9 | ot | extensive | 6 | 2.1 | Xc | 2027 | |
Steibruchhau | SH | 1979 | 5.2 | ot | extensive |
| 3 | 1.0 |
| 2026 |
Thurspitz-Rheinhölzli | ZH | 1977 | 25 | ot | extensive |
| 1 | 1.2 |
| 2029 |
Umikerschachen | AG | 1962 | 6 | ot | extensive |
| 2 | 1.1 |
| 2029 |