Topic | Core indicator | DPSIR | Main topic |
---|---|---|---|
Forest and wood | Impact |
Economic performance of forestry operations
The indicator provides information about the economic situation of public forestry operations. In this regard, securing the economic aspect of sustainability is a key condition for all the indispensable services that are provided by effective and efficient forest management and benefit society, the environment and the economy. To that end, the Confederation provides data on the structure, profitability and natural production bases. These data are not collected in small public and private forests.
The economic situation of Swiss forest management is difficult, as forestry operations have yielded negative results for several years. Current economic trends such as falling wood prices, continuously high costs, and rising demand by the population are stretching the management strategy used until now to its limits. The current system will therefore only be able to finance its goals (e.g. operational performance, services, productive employees, etc.) and socio-economic (e.g. protection against natural hazards, biodiversity, etc.) and private-sector (e.g. wood production) services to a limited degree in the long term. Through forestry sector measures and federal support in the context of national fiscal equalisation, efforts are being made to reduce costs (e.g. use of more rational working methods and cooperation between owners) and develop potential income sources (e.g. enhancement of forest services). However, the positive effect of measures to increase forestry sector performance can only be achieved gradually in the current economic conditions.
Varying definitions make comparability difficult.
Data are fully collected on the basis of approximately 3,000 surveys.
Public forestry operations with an area of over 50 ha were included in the forestry statistics until 2014.
In 2015, a change was made in the method: A forestry operation is now defined as an individual forest owner or an association of several forest owners who manage their areas together. The size of the forest area plays a decisive role in this. Units with the following minimum areas are considered forestry operations: Jura 200 ha; Central Plateau 150 ha; Pre-Alps 250 ha; Alps-Southern Alps 500 ha.
Further information