Over more than 125 years, an extensive dataset has been built up across the EFM network. Beyond analyses addressing the original research questions of individual experiments, the data can be used in a wide variety of ways. For forest practitioners, the plots serve as regional case studies within the context of excursions, training courses, and tree marking exercises. Some plots have been set up as marteloscopes.
The dataset is also of great interest to researchers at other institutions and is used, for example, for the parameterization and validation of forest growth simulators. The network of forest nature reserves uses similar research methods, opening up numerous opportunities to compare the dynamics of natural and managed forests. The plot network also serves as a research platform for additional studies on, for example, biodiversity or physiological processes in trees under different management regimes. Inquiries regarding data use and collaboration opportunities are welcome and can be directed to the project lead.
The EFM plot network, its dataset, and the research results have been built up and supported over time by a great many individuals and institutions. This kind of long-term research would not be possible without the support of the forestry services of Swiss cantons, municipalities, and civic communities on whose lands the experimental plots are located. Numerous technical and scientific staff from WSL, its predecessor organizations, and partner institutions such as ETH Zurich have contributed to plot establishment, maintenance, and data analysis. The majority of funding comes from WSL itself, with additional project-based support from other organizations such as the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) for specific research activities.